Rogue Trader Tales from the Spirit of Silence
by AutumnStarr
Summary: This is the story of a ship, and her nine person crew, and their adventures through the blackness of the 41st Mellenium. Technology, old ancient empires and enemeis from within are all here!
1. Chapter 1

_Rogue Trader: Tales from the Spirit of Silence__  
Season One__  
Episode one; The Crew_

Port Wander was not exactly one of the best places to live, but even then with the Empire of Man in a new war between itself and the rebellion of the Dark Hersey, and those tainted by Dread Chaos, it did not take long for the merchant companies to begin making more money then normal. Ni-Fang, the daughter of merchants, wandered the port, finally stopping into a small backward pub of sorts. And inqiured of the barkeep of a first mate and helmsman of good repute.

"A good helmsman you say?" The barkeep replied. "How old be you?"

"Twenty, and I have seen my share of space to keep a crew." Came the calm yet curt reply from the woman dressed in stark white. Two other men arrived, one of them standing directly next to Ni-Fang. She recognized the man for what he was, void born like herself.

"A woman of twenty requiring a first mate for her crew?" The Barkeep said, "What do you plan on running? a halfway ship for women?" that made the men within the bar laugh. Fast as a snake Ni-Fangs arm lashed out and grabbed the barkeep by the shirt front and yanked him onto the bar flat on his back, a wicked looking knife in her hand at his throat.

Everyone went quiet and watched the woman in white. "I have said it once, I have seen my share of space to keep a crew." Ni-Fang hissed quietly to the man. "Now, tell me truthfully, where I am to find a man of good repute on Port Wander to be fit for my crew of nine."

"What ship you have?"

"It is called the _Spirit of Silence_" Ni-Fang replied.

"And you seek a crew of nine? It is impossible. But I tell you truthfully, Go to the city repair bays, ask about for a man named Hieldenhammer, he will help you." Ni-Fang merely smiled and let go of the man and left the bar. The Barkeep got to his feet and watched her go. Turning to the two men he said. "You know of her?"

"Her parents own MerTelCom." Came the reply, "She's a high level merchant."

"If she seeks a crew of nine it cannot be done, From what I recall Spirit of Silence is Dauntless Class. It is too large for a nine man crew." replied the barkeep.

"Nevertheless it is her ship and her crew." Came the reply.

***

Ni-Fang walked the docks, seeking out the man she had been told to seek. Finding a rather gruff looking dock worker she inquired of him where she would find Hieldenhammer. and was directed to another pub, upon entering almost everyface turned to her way, almost anyone looked at her when she passed anyhow. Stark white hair, medium tanned skin, dressed in white or emerald green. She went to the bar and asked the Barkeep where one named Hieldenhammer might be. And was directed to a booth at the back of the pub in a corner.

Upon sitting down she merely watched him not saying anything. He noticed her and spoke first. "What can I do for ye lass?" He had a thick accent, perfect for first mate.

"Are you the one named Hieldenhammer, of the bloodline of Sigmar?" Ni_Fang asked him.

He stared at her, how did she know? "Aye, that I am, what service can I be of to you my lady?" He asked her.

"I am in need of a helmsman and first mate for my ship, _Spirit of Silence_. You agree to my terms i take you on. You follow my orders as I give them no questions asked." She looked at him. He was nodding.

"Aye Cap'n, Hieden Hieldenhammer at ye services" Hieden replied. Finally a job to get him off port wander. "If i may ask but one question my lady?"

"Ask it." She replied.

"Of what company leases our fair ship?"

"MerTelCom" That got his attention, the empires top Merchantile firm was backing Spirit of Silence? Crew choosing be damned? "And I still need seven more."

"I believe I know just the people Cap'n. We would be in need of a Navigator, and also a Gun Master. I do believe I know where to find such" Hieden replied.

"Good, the sooner we have our crew the sooner we can get to Kaeth." So it was that isolated planet she was going to? Whatever for? Hieden nodded and finished his drink.

"As to the rest of the crew Cap'n I think ye be best off searching through MerTelComs files." Hieden said

"I have done that on my way here to Port Wander, yet none of the files I have searched are what I seek. Therefore I will look among Port Wanders varying groups for crewmembers. You get us our Navigator, and also our Gun Master, I wuill worry about the rest of the crew and meet you at the ship." Ni-Fang said.

"Very well Cap'n, Spirit of Silence is a nice sounding name of a ship."

"Docking Ring seven, top teir of MerTelCom port destrict. I will see you onboard." With that Ni-Fang left the bar and headed out into Port Wander a third time. the third time leaving a building, but the second time leaving a bar. Hieden continued eating before calling over the barkeeper, who started to ask him questions, but Hieden evaded them and requested his bill, marking it paid by MerTelCom he left the bar and headed for the Government District of Port Wander.

*****

Ni-Fang went to the lower dirges of Port Wander seeking out rhe most vile of muitants and those tainted by chaos and the warp. To eqach she asked the question same question. "You know the stars and have traveled them, are you willing to undertake in crewing the ship, Spirit of Silence under command of yours truly?" She then gave them instructions of what dock to report to. She found five different people and only two of them seemed too brutal to take on, but after listening for payment and otherwise they joined on.

Hieden had slightly better luck, finding both women he was seeking, both a Gun Master and also the navigator. After settling on pay they went to the dock and found Ni-Fang supervising the loading of cargo and supplies., she motioned the crew aboard, five mutants, and two humans un touched by dread chaos. "You are Navigator are you not?" She asked one of the two women.

"I am." Came the reply.

"Man your station" Ni-Fang replied. The rest of the crew was onboard and the last of the cargo was stored. Now it was time to get going, Turning to Hieden she said. "Take us out. Helmsman. We have ports to meet and wares to sell." A minute passed and the Spirit of Silence left Port Wander and headed out into the blackness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Rogue Trader; Season One  
Episode two: A Psysker on the Run**

This is cozy. Though hopefully it will work, Ni-Fang though to herself, her first time actually alone in her captains quarters. Five mutants, one of them tainted not by the warp or radition leaks, but by Dread Chaos itself. Now all we have to do is find a way to sell our wares. She smiled then, the Ore would be perfect, almost every ship relied on that stuff. She went down to the cargo bay area and noticed several things, one of which was one fo the five mutant crew members had parked him/herself there at the door standing like a sentry of sorts. without a sound the door opened for the white haired captain. She started going through the items on the cargo menifest listing, making sure everything was there.

"Hieden, head us toewards Holy Terra, but don;t stop int hat system, instead head us another quarter dayp ast it, there is a remote isolated system there called Kath. We will reach it soon." She said over the comm system. though the ship was huge, ti wasl arge enough to commondate the nine person crew, though several said it impossible.

"Aye Captain," Hieden turned towards Linelle, and nodded to her, repeating what Ni-Fang had said to do. Linelle found the system of kath on the data screen and nodded, the coruse was set.

A few minutes passed before things begain to pick up, one of them was one fo their crew was keeping himself locked up in his room, working on something, not allowing anyone near him, only the captain herself he had said, could enter his room without hinderance. Ni-Fang opened the door to the TechPriests room. the inside of which was a total mess. "You are doing well with getting things the way you like them are you not?" She asked ducking her head as a chainsword was thrown her way, denting the steel door. But ther man said nothing

Ni-Fang spoke again, "We have left Port Wander, when you are ready to talk I will see you again" She said, right now all the man seemed to care about eas getting as far as he could from civilization. But the only problem was, they were going directly for the dead center of the Imperium itself! Ni-Fang turned and left the man, locking the dfoor behind her as he did so. heading for the bridge.

Captain Starfire indeed. He was dead, but alive now, how to tell father when I see him at Kath? Or shall Hieden remain on the ship when we land to take on cargo? Ni-Fang wondered, she haded for the bridge, her mind going over the thoughts calmly. she noticed something beggining to beep an d spoke into her radio system. "Hieden?"

"We are being hailed ma'am, Imperium ship apparently." Came the reply. "Ye best get up here."

Great, if the day could get any worse. Ni-fang muttered. She went to the bridge, speaking as she arrived. "I'm here, where's the Imperium ship?" Hieden pointed, there was another Dauntless Class frighter out there, dead in space. "Did you send a reply?" Hiden nodded, "Did anyone respond?"

"No ma'am, it repeates itself over and over." The pair listened as the seven notes rang through again. "A code of sorts?"

Ni-Fang shook her head. "When a merchant ship is left for a dead a transmission is sent out from the ship to locate it in darkspace when outside of the Warp, but that is not the three note teir beep that merchants use, that's Imperium, but if it is abandoned, there may be somethingu seful aboard. Dock us with it." Ni-Fang said. at Hidens confused look Ni-Fang smiled. "Did you not forget that you signed on to follow my orders..... Starfire?" That got him moving. "Dock us with that ship, and have Gun Master Theta's report to the armoury to get everyone fit for battle, if there is something on that ship, be it living or otherwise, there may be something of value on it."

There came a few thuds as the Spirit of Silence docked gentley against the Imperium vessel, the pinging noise of the radio system rang in Ni-Fangs ears. Whoever had attacked the vessel or owned it left in a hurry. Taking the light bolter from Pratas she entered first, peeking out of the hatchway, looking in all driections, even up to the second level of the docking lobby. "Nobody here, move in, Linelle, keep the ship, Hieden watch the back door. Everyone else, spread out, whatever you find be it bodies, weapons or whatever, use the darkspace transporter to move it to SoS. lets go." Once the orders were given ewveryone began moving around the ship Imperium ship.

"I do not like this." Came Pratas voice over the vox. "it feels, as if I have been here before. on this very vessel" His voice was lost with wonder and confusion, but then turned to hate when he saw the famailar signs of plasma weaponsx use on the wall, along with two dead Space Marines. "Two dead, bolters taken, Chainswords left. Meeting up with her Majasty Ni-Fang." he reported into his vox.

"Understood." Hiden said, he did not trust the TechPriest. The man was always off on a limb or even worse, never on blanace whatsoever much of the time. Hieden reported in. "Docking lobby Armoury seems to have been sacked of ranged weapons, dozen bolters are left, no powerpaks though." He reported.

"I made it to the bridge" Came Ni-Fangs voice. "There was a fight here. all klersteel void shields are raised. many dead." She stopped over another techpriest. this one a woman. Bearing a famailar mark. MerTelCom. She bent down and began shearching the woman. Finding only the embelem, but nothing more of MerTelCom on the ship. "This might be a MerTelCom vessel, everyone search for MerTelCom signs or marks on all weapons." She said into her vox.

"Nothing here. Space Marines, Seventh Calvary, that's all I got" Hieden replied.

"Dark Sisters of Luna here, one of them still alive." Came the rapsy voice of Cirir. "Portside Engine room. Top level."

"On my way" Ni-Fang said, leaving the bridge, as she heard the tech priest shout something.

"I am not going ot be seen by that woman!" Pratas yelled out.

"You are with me and therefor following orders, or do you want to be left for dead here Pratas?" Ni-Fang said calmly, moving to the room where Cirir was located, a woman lay on the ground, barely moving, yet still breathing. When Ni-Fang arrived the woman stared for a moment. "What happened to the crew of this ship?" Ni-Fang asked her.

"They're all dead." Came the reply.

"Who?" asked Pratas, already dreading the answer.

"They never said their name." The woman replied, struiggling to breath. "Soldiers, dressed in white armor, Xenos. Commsiar Gretau fought one fo them, but was lain when his chainsword was severd." The woman then breathed her last as Ni-Fang nodded.

So there was someone else they had to worry about in the darkness out of the warp. She looked ot Pratas, Just wonderful, she thought while activating her vox, "The crew of the ship is dead, there was fighting within it. Find all usible weapons and transport them to the SoS, then make ready to leave the area."

Out in space:...

Unseen by anyone on either ship, another shpi floated watching everything. Two men stood at the bridge of the ship, the The Lineshire, watching everything of the two ships. "You scanned it?" Said one. The other nodded, "How many on board?" The other man quircked an eyebrow and answered. "Nine." The first was at first taken aback. "Nine for a ship that size? It is easliy several times the size of one of our Javlin crusiers." The other man nodded. "More of a Aoura clas? Shall we fire?" The first man shook his head no. "No, let them be, it is a merchant vessel, look at the cargo of it, see the cargo areas of the ship? it is not a war vessel, but that of a merchants vessel. Ready the ship for departure to home."

***

Hieden got tired of holding the door, nothing moved here, he cast around his lamp at the huge area in front of him, checked the vox, the Captain was still busy up forward. He looked briefly behind him to see Linelle watching his back as always. She leaned casually against the bulkhead honing her rapier, and smiled at him. Hieden hand signed to her that he was going for a look, and Linelle signed him back "Go ahead I'll be here."

The big man withdrew his Light bolter, he disdained the energy side arms, though he did have a Power sword on his back in place of his short sword. He made a circuit of the place and found nothing remarkable, bodies of course and evidence of a savage fire fight.

Hieden was about to return to his post when something caught his eye in the glow of his lamp. The boots of one of the dead, were out of place, not Imperium issue, he'd seen these before, in another time and place. He walked over to the body, a guard for all appearances, he reached down carefully and turned the corpse over, there on the neck, the infinity symbol tatooed on the man's neck.

Images swirled through Hiedens mind, only hear he was himself, Hammer Starfire, ships Captain for MerTelCom, answerable only to Johen, the company owner. Another image, Johen was giving Hammer last minute instructions on the latest crisis.

"Hammer, those Laraxan cut throats have blockaded Cirritae, we need that ore. Do what you can to protect the fleet at all costs, the Red Dawn is yours to command."

Red Dawn, the companies newest battle class frigate, fast, heavily armed. Hammer was pleased for the moment.

Another image came into his mind, five year old Ni-Fang waited for him near the door leading to the landing stages. She held out her tiny arms to him and Hammer lifted her up.

"You will come back uncle Hammer, I demand it!" She said in her typical way.

"Of course I will, I still have a story to finish haven't I?"

"Yes, of olden days, and me as a Princess, please come back." There was a tear in her eye.

Hammer kissed her gently on the cheek and promised her his return, placed her down and proceeded to the landing bays and joined the Red Dawn.

The colours of his mind whirled, he was with his crew, a longe range scout had just returned and informed him privately that the Laraxans had Cirritae blockaded with 17 warships, to the fleet's twelve, and only three of those capable of putting up a decent fight. "Bad odds."  
Hammer thought to himself, he dismissed the scout and told him to return to the fleet. Now the captain needed an exit plan and he had one.

Starfire had the fleet divert to Sorastus on the excuse that they were picking up extra crew and provisions. On arrival at Linelle's homeworld, he had his own crew stand down for a bit of leave, he accompanied his navigator to her home, and then left abruptly in the night. In the early hours Linelle turned in her bed, only to discover him gone.

She raced back to the landing grid, the other crew were already there, the fleet had gone, leaving them behind, Starfire was on a suicide mission of this Linelle was sure, she wiped a tear from her cheek, and tugged heavily at her braid as she looked toward the stars.

At five hours away from Cirritae, Starfire ordered the fleet to pause, he gave the command to the other Captains, to await his signal, then proceed. He set the Red Dawn to full auto defence, and sped toward what he knew was his certain doom.

Coming out of the planets Sun, he pressed full on down to the Laraxan fleet. The ships were in two lines, nine and eight. Hammer went straight through the middle of the lines and broadsided as many of the ships as he could, and in doing so, tore four of them apart. He jumped to warp, and doubled back for a second run, seeing his initial success he got cocky. Only this time they were more prepared.

Six of the Laraxan captains turned their ships about, waiting for their prey, Hammer came in again and at the last, saw the disposition had changed, he arced the Red Dawn over the leading ships and gave them a volley from his lower guns. They were heavily damaged but not out of it. He turned again and headed straight for the final six, it was now or never as the Red Dawn began to suffer daunting hits to her hull, three gun turrets already out of action. His last piece of defiance, he came under the front two of the six, and released his entire missile battery at them, taking two out of action but not destroyed. He then limped as best as possible in the opposite direction forcing the Laraxans to give chase. "Now that's evened the odds." He said to himself and called the fleet in as two heavy Laraxan destroyers closing on him by the minute. For three hours it lasted until finally he was boarded. The next twelve years he spent in a stinking hell hole of a prison , seeing that infinity tatoo on the necks of every guard and soldier there. Until the day one laxed guard alowed Hammer to get behind him with an iron bar he had pried from his bunk. Four dead guards later he was hidden in the cargo hold of a transport, two years later, he was back on Sorastus, then home, as Hieden Hieldenhammer, an out of work first mate.

He shook his head from the memory, and clicked on his vox, "Captain, there is something you should know!"

***

_3 days ago..._

Night fell on Port Wander as various ships moved in and out of the massive space port, the stars being blotted out by the light of the space port. A shuttle landed on one of the landing platforms, its lights glinting off the wings of the shuttle as people filed out of the craft. A man in a rumpled robe walked out, carrying a staff and a duffel bag. He looked around warily and exited with caution, for he was no ordinary passanger. He looked out at the busy starport, the dust settled as the engines on the shuttle finally shut off. The man had dark hair and pale skin, though his hair was slightly getting lighter as the years wore on. He was Pretas, formally a Enginseer in the Imperial guard, now a fugative from Imperial justice. He had evaded capture for more than a year thanks to his innate technological knowledge and innovation in hiding, but his time was running out. Several Sisters of Battle squads were but a day or two from the planet maximum. They were closing in on the now discovered pskyer running fast. He knew the fate of unsanctioned pskyers, which was death. He was determined to not let that happen ever since he broke out of the prison compound he was in the year before. No one realized he was that powerful of a psyker, let alone a A+ pskyer rating, the most powerful rating in the Imperium of Man.

Pretas winced slightly as he walked into the terminal to be processed. His knowledge of technology allowed him to forge several fake identities and plant them in the Mechanium databases that were everywhere in the Imperium. A clerk stamped his visa and passed him through, the presence of the plasma pistol in his bag was easy to explain to a tired clerk; a mere relic and a defensive tool used in his duties as a former Guardsmen and an agent of the Inquisition, which was his supposed business on Port Wander. An easy smile and a wave allowed the clerk to buy the story with credibility as Pretas passed through Customs without question. _Here was a man who was unofficially part of the Inquisition, let him be. Do not arouse his wrath and irritate him, he might shoot us for impeding him and whatever he was investigating_, so the clerk thought. Pretas smiled as he passed by people in his simple black robe, but on the inside he was nervous. It was getting harder to evade the Sisters of Battle as they relentlessly hunted him down. He needed to find passage off this world, and soon, otherwise he would be stuck here and they would hunt him down. He asked a middle aged men where the nearest hotel might be. The man smiled.

"It is the Golden Throne a few blocks that way. It is used frequently by the traders here. You might consider looking in the bar there for employment opportunities if you are looking for work."

"Thank you, sir. You are most kind. May the God Emperor bless you."

Pretas nodded and walked off. He found the hotel easily and reserved a single room for himself. It would be an interesting day tommorow.

_A day later..._

Pretas sat in the hotel bar, drinking slightly as the ruckus of the drunk traders echoed throughout the bar. Shouts of laughter and boasting were heard occassionally, with a fistfight or two breaking out. He sat alone, brooding slightly over his situation. Two women entered the bar and he tensed instantly, recognizing them as hunters. They were Sisters of Battle, he could tell based on the individual sisters hunting him. He knew they were scout elements of the company after him. He was nervous, but fairly confident in his disguise as a trader. Earlier that day, he dyed his hair ash blond and rubbed some dirt on his face to fool the descriptions of him that were now everywhere in the sector. A simple contact lens was sufficient to change his eye color from green to blue. The change turned him from a rather pale man with dark hair to a grimy and dirty blond haired trader with the wrong eye color. A simple purchase also gained him the clothes he was wearing now, the dark leather jackets and boots that were virtually the same as everyone else's clothing in the room. Now he looked like any ordinary trader out there, rather than the striking and handsome Techpriest that was being sought after by the Sisters of Battle.

The Sisters walked out of the bar, having not spotted their quarry. Pretas sighed with relief and ordered another drink, he was looking to buy passage off the planet and he had let the word be spread that he was looking for a new crew to hire on with. It was not long before a woman walked over to him and made an offer he could not refuse. Pretas signed on with Ni-Feng and her ship the _Spirit of Silence_ and was to report to her the next morning at Port 94

So, they were all set then. Ni-Fang turned to Pretas, "I think we should leave this ship, pick up what weapons you can, and take them back to the Spirit of Silence, soon as we have all weapons onboard, we leave. Get moving." At that order Pretas nodded and left the engine room, Ni-Fang looked to Cirir, who also nodded and begain gathing weapons, loading therm on a cart of some sort that seemed to hover, stacking unused bolters, both light and heavy on the thing.

Ni-Fang watched the mutant crewman work. a soft smile on her face as she noted the man working with jerky movements, like any tainted either by ther EWarp itself or the radiation of being on a ship for too long. Her smile faded as she heard Hiedens call come over the vox. "Yes Hieden what is it?"

"This is a Laraxan ship, I recognize the soldiers in te docking space lobby, we best be hurrying before whatever attack em comes back." Hieden said.

"Very well, whatever weapons you find be they empty or full, take them to the Spirit of Silence and stow them in the armoury. I am heading back to the cargo area. something feels funny for a ship like this to be sending out a stress signal." Ni-Fang said.

"Aye lass, something is mighty pecuiar about this ship." Hieden replied. Though he said nothing more.

Ni-Fang headed for the next room from the engine areas, nearly dropping to her knees at the stench of dead bodies in the room. apparently the men within had been driven mad, but she could feel no sign of Dread Chaos, only total madness. OK, moving on. She thought before seeing something of a memory, a memory she hated time again when she saw it.

It was as if she herself was watching it, like on a datascreen. A child, no older then six years of age by Holy Terra reckoning, hair white as snow, dressed in black, apparently in mourning of someone lost. She sat alone on a ship or at Port Wander, it was not easy to tell with the rooms walls being slate gray in color. But she could tel lthe child was sad about something.

Then she noticed another enter the room and kneel down next to the child. It looked like a woman, the child was hugged by the older woman, apparently their sadness was justified and was also mistaken, for Uncle Hammer (at the time) had died. And he had promised her he would return. Gone.

The memory changed again. This time jumping to days forwards, her father, Johen pacing, looking miserable. It was the day before Ni-Fangs seventh birthday, And Captain Starfire was gone, dead. "You are sure?" Johen was saying into a vox. "The red Dawn is gone, captive or blown apart?... I understand, it went down with all hands... The finest ship in trhe fleet." Unseen by her father, yet seen by Ni-Fang watching the memory, the six year old Ni-Fang stood at her fatrhers door peeking through the crak. hearing everything.

Then the memory faded back to the presnt, Ni-Fang found herself sitting on a barrel thinknig. no doubt unseen by any of her crew as a single tear slid down her cheek. thirteen years had passed. And now her uncle hammer was alive and well again. With a deep breath she move about the cabin she had found herself in. It was the captains cabin no doubt, the man dead at his desk. Moving him aside she nioticed there was no dmage to the room, his chest burned away by something unseen. No doubt a plasma weapon.

She moved the man aside, the dead body falling with a dull thud to the floor, moving a few items on the desk she found a vox recorder, along with a vox vid linkup system and secured both on her belt, before finding a data vox, one that many kept data within. Not exactly a dataring, she mused. But then these men knew their jobs. She took also the vox databank before searching for weapons, finding a bright green chainsword in the closet, untouched. With a smile she broke the fastening holding the weapon to the wall and tested its power, a full charge. Perfect. She turned and elft the cabin, making am ental note to speak to Hieden about why he did not return when hwe could to her father.

As she entered the hallway of the dead ship Hiedens voice rang on the Vox. "Cap'n, we have an incoming Imperium ship in sights, should we hail?"

Great, Imperium vessel, no doubt going to jail us. "Get back to the Spirit of Silence, but maintain present unarmed systems, we dont want to raise alarm. Anything found place on the Spirit of Silence out of sight of prying eyes. I'm heading back, everyone fall back to Spirit of Silence and the docking lobby, I will meet you all there." Ni-Fang said into her vox first addressing Hieden then the whole crew. As she walked her mind wandered to how they had hired Linelle, their navigator.

"Now that your appointment is settled Mr Hieldenhammer, we need a navigator as a priority, do you know of one?"

"Aye indeed I believe I do lass, how do ye feel about the half eldar?"

"Oh, I have worked with some before, my old blade master was one, they can be a bit twitchy at times though."

"Yes that be true enough. If you'll trust me judgement on this one, I think I may have the perfect candidate for the Spirit."

"Hmm, trust, yes well, that has to be earned in my command, but there is something familiar about you, as if I know you already. So lead on."

Hieden burst out laughing, a rich tone. "Oh lass if you only knew the half of it. Come on then I'll rent an air glider and we'll be off, it's about an hour out into the bayou's, on the north arm of the bay."

"That's alligator swamps...someone lives there?"

"Yes." He said simply.

The two of them left the tavern and a air glider was rented. Hieden had little in the way of luggage, just a sea bag, the clothes he wore, and a wicked ancient short sword hanging from his -Fang watched as he primed the starter,and the glider kicked into life, his broad back showing despite his age, would endure many a hard labour. He helped her board the craft and they set off for the swam lands, the glider making good speed.

They reached a small cove amongst the dark waters, in front of them a huge Bay Beech tree stood, soaring into the airs some sixty paces, it's trunk perhpaps eight paces in diameter. Above them more than half way, a cabin was built into the branches, not hidden but most likely well defended. Ni-Fang's new first mate, brought the glider up level with the verandah that circumnavigated the house.

"Wait here if you would lass."

Ni-Fang looks over the side of the glider at the stirring shapes in the water, and notices a hammock on the verandah. "I think I will take my leasure over there Hieden."

"Suit yourself, but block yer ears, this may....be difficult."

"I see, not trouble for the Spirit I hope sir?"

"No, just a prickly eldar!" And he laughed again.

Hieden walked in through the open door. The large open room was darkened slightly, pottery, paintings and crab pots lay scattered everywhere. The smell of fish cooking wafted from the back kitchen. "Hello, Lin you there girl?" He called.

Suddenly a shape appeared from nowhere and a knife whizzed past his ear. "You, you lionfish, you dare to foul my abode once again!" A half eldar woman as tall as Hieden himself now stood before him, long dark auburn braid hanging to her waist, brown britches and knee high boots and an all to revealing light blouse.

"As I remember lass, this was our abode. And yes I come looking for a navigator if you would like to work again"

"I would not work with you Starfire, if you were the last Captain in the galaxy!" She threw back at him and slapped him hard across the face.

Ni-Fang's ears pricked up at the mention of 'Starfire', "Could it be true, my fathers old captain, but he's been dead almost twelve years?" She was tempted to walk in but stayed her place, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

"If you think I deserted you and the crew Lin, you're wrong lass. I ran the blockade so you could escape remember, that is why I had to leave you all behind on Soratus and you know it!"

Linelle sobbed a little and fell into his arms. "I know Star, you saved us and the fleet, but I woulld rather have died with you, than live this torment without you, not knowing whether, you were dead or alive."

He held her for a moment and wiped away the tears. "Lin, it would never have worked for us anyway, you know that. You're what already one hundred and fifty something, and still look as you did at twenty. And look at me, almost sixty and I bloody well look it. Besides I would not have you share a Laraxan prison with me for twleve years, you would not have survived."

"Liar!" She was herself again. "Prove it!"

He removed his jacket and shirt, then turned about for her to see his back. Criss crossed with scars from the lash and a number tatooed upon his right shoulder.

"Oh Star, I'm so sorry." She ran her fingers across the number, then stepped back. "You escaped, how? No one escapes the Laraxans. And your tatoo has a subcutaneous transmitter, you're a fugitive Star, you'll damn anyone who comes near you." She turned and began to sob again. "Go away, leave me."

"Hey Lin, do ye think ah'd come all this way lass if ah were a danger to ye? I escaped yes, an ah killed a few guards yes. But the transmitter is gone, courtesy of your people on Soratus. Check it, get your scanner if ye don believe me." He was a little angry himself now.

"No, I believe you....so you have a ship?" Linelle said hesitatingly.

"No not mine First Mate for a young captain. Captain lass ye can come in now."

Ni-Fang walked in with an air of confidence, Linelle marked her youth but did mention it. The young captain took note of the tall half-eldar and especially the long braid, and more so the fine rapier hanging from her belt.

"So I have a navigator then?"

"Yes Captain you do, if only to keep an eye on your First Mate."

"Agreed." And the two women embraced and shook hands warmly. Then Ni-Fang turned on Hieden and slapped him hard on the other side of his face. "And don't you ever lie to me again. I should have known those steel blue eyes 'Captain Starfire'. You lost one of my fathers finest frigates in running that blockade, he never quite forgave you, even though you saved the fleet."

Hieden rubbed the other side of his face and laughed once more. "You were only five lass, I did nae think you'd miss me. Am I forgiven by you?"

"For now, but you are no longer Captain, you will stay first mate, until I can find away to tell my father of this. Linelle pack your gear we're off."

The Spirit of Silence rtemained docked with the dead ship, the weapons had been koed from the Imperium vessel over to the SoS and stowed away in the various armouries onboard. Though the Spirit remained docked it recived the hail as Ni-Fang arrived at the docking bay lobby. The hail was short and simple on the vox. "This is MerTelCom vessel Necross Hearts, we recived a stree signal."

Ni-Fang traded a look with Hieden. She shook her head when he was about to respond and spoke into her vox. "This is Captain Ni-Fang, Daughter of Merchants, onboard a dead Imperium ship, captain of the Spirit of Silence, to whom am I speaking?"

"Daughter?" Came the voice of Johen.

"Father?" She replied just as confused, she shook her head again to Hieden, best her father not yet know until they spoke either at Holy Terra or at Port Wander. "What brings the Necross Hearts, a luxary ship of al lthings, out here?"

"Stress signal, we recived it just as you did." Came the reply. "We were on our way to Holy Terra to begin the pleasure cruise from there to Kath and back when we recived the signal."

"I see, my ship has docked with the Imperium vessel, everyone onboard is dead. Several of them looking like a Daemon had come through" Ni-Fang replied. "None survived the fight. Save for one who died shortly after we arrived. Not exactly the best way to go, I doubt it would be Orks."

"Haven't heard a peep from the greenskins ion a long time, not since that odd happening at Telsis IX" came the reply, before her father finally said. "Where will I see you again?"

"At Kath, or Holy Terra, call me when you reach Kath system." EWith that she disconnected her Vox and motioned to continue taking the weapons from the fallen and moving them to the Spirit of Silence.

After ten minutes the Necross Hearts lefty the area, jumping back to the Warp when the ship was confirmed gone Hieden spoke first. "Ye did not tell him?"

"No, I did not." Ni-Fang replied.

"Why?" Hieden pressed.

"Had I told father what happened and that you are still alive working for me, he would have fired upon us and disabled our own defenses, luxary ship or no, all ships of MerTelCom have a weapon onboard. For now it is best you remain dead to my fathers eyes. Should anyone hail us, and you ansswer, say your name, Hieldenhammer, first mate. If Father finds out you live still he would hunt for you." She said nothing of Pretas' outburst of the sister of battle he said he would not see mom ents before.

Hieden and Ni-Fang walked togther back to the bridge, Linelle was already there, Pretas was eyeing the half-eldar with suspicion, though he said nothing. Hieden spoke low to Ni-Fang before they reached the others.

"I would nae worry too much aboot yer da, lass. Sure for certain he'll be annoyed with me fer not comin straight back after ah escpaped, but ah had t' set m'self up again, ah could nae come back to Port Wander a pauper, and mudrat. Let him know easy lass and tell him ah know where the Red Dawn is if he wants it back."

"You do Hammer?"

"Aye lass, the Laraxans were to afraid to use it. Superstious lot those. They sold her t' a merchant on Anath 20, but he could nae sell it cause it has the company mark on it, an he's too fearful to scap her, a fearin' the eldar have put a curse on it. So there it sits, yours fer the takin lass."

"Well 'uncle', this does change things somewhat, but I have not heard of Anath 20, how do we find it."

"Linelle knows where it is, and Pretas has been there....but he may not wish to return to swiftly lass."

"Hmmm, I must think how to approach this, maybe my fathers chief clerk will know."

"Not old Fenstin Bucksten is it?"

"Yes why, he still serves."

"Oh lass, this could nae be better, that old fox owes me large, we'll do well Captain." With that he roared laughing, seem to stun the others somewhat, until it became infectious and they joined with him, even though they did not know why.

Ni-Fang held the emerald colored chainsword in one hand, using it more like a cane then an blade, the chain of it shining bright silver, everyone had returned to their duties and the weapons from the fallen on the other ship had been moved, atl east those they could find, to the various holds for weapons on the Spirit of Silence. Now to get out of here. Ni-Fang turned to Hieden. "Disconnect the Spirit of Silence from the othership, let it drift, lifeless." She said. "We in turn will head for Kath."

"Aye Cap'n" Hieden said, using the offical term for who was in charge, even though he knew for a fact he should be giving a few pointers, but then it was her ship, not his. A few minutes passed before the Spierit of Silence left the dead ship and began to pull away. A few minutes more and the rest of the crew had left the bridge, leaving Ni-Fang and Hieden alone.

After a moment Ni-Fang spoke. "Where is the shipyard?"

"Wha's that lass?" Hieden asked.

Ni-Fang turned to him. "Where is the shipyard where the Red Dawn is berthed, if it is not to be scrapped then we can take it as our own and return it to Father. If the ship is not scrapped then one can use it, all we have to do is prove that it is our ship."

"Aye, but saying is far easier then doing cap'n" Hieden replied steering the Spirit of Silence and then activating the warp drives. the autopilot system took over as the ship left deep space into the darkness of the warp.

"You forget what I am Hieden?" Ni-Fang said calmly, her tone icey.

"No lass, I do not forget wha ye are. I only mention the fact that 'tis goin' be harder then expecting to get the Dawn back to your father." Hieden replied.

"I will handle that, you only get us there...... " She smiled then, her eyes seeming to shine a bit with mirth. "..... Uncle Hammer" She turned and left the bridge, heading for her chambers. Leaving Hieden alone on the Bridge.

Hieden scratched his chin, "bugger he thought, needs a shavin'". He checked the auto pilot once more and headed for the accomodation level. "So ma little Snow Leopard wants the Dawn, fer herself, well ah'll do me best." He reached Linelle's cabin and knocked softly.

"Who is it?" came the reply.

"The bloody Green god, now open up Lin!" He said a little impatiently as the door slid open, revealing Linelle only barely clothed. She grabbed him by the neck and pulled him inside, hitting the close panel as she did so. She kissed him hard then physically threw him on the bed.

"It's about bloody time Star, we've been on this ship for almost two weeks and this is the first you come to me?" She thumped him hard in the ribs as she leaned over him.

"Well ah would hae come sooner lass, but, this beast is a handful, as you know, she's new to both of us, and a sight big to get to know quickly. Anyway..." He pushed himself up, but she just planted both hands on his chest and he was flat on his back again.

"Don't you dare tell me this is business Hammer Starfire, I've waited too long to be with you again." A small tear dropped from he eye.

"Yes, afraid it is lass, but I'll deal with you, I'll stay the night if ye, accept my offer."

"What? You think I'm some cheap tavern harlot that can be bought? I should space you right now mister."

"No, ye know me better Lin." He reached up and kissed her softly.

She settled some and lay beside him, snuggled into his neck. "Alright tell me but this better be good."

Hieden drew his breath. "Ye remember when we were freelancing before the Company, we hit Anath 20, and met that merchant Suldown?"

"Yes, I do, he owes me large for a reading I did for him, never paid me either, as we had to leave rather hurridly as I recall, seems you got into a fight...again."

He laughed quietly. "Yes but tha's all good lass, the Marshall is a good man, he be not a holding that over me der twenty years. How you'd like to get paid, after all this time, with a bonus?"

"Bonus?"

"The Red Dawn, Suldown has her, but the Laraxans are close by, ye willing to try."

"By the Gods yes, but we'll need Pretas, he has some more knowledge there than us."

"Yes lass, unfortunatley he does, but the Sisters have a base there, you know what he is don' ye?"

"Yes, no less than I am myself, I will talk to him on equal terms, and we'll let Ni-fang know together."

"Good lass, I knew you were game."

She slapped him hard, just for pleasure, then turned out the light.

Ni-Fang was within her quarters on the Spirit of Silence, having no idea whatsoever of her plans the First Mate was making for her. Piecing together the vox recorded information, what had happened on that ship, there was databoxs of old shipments, a notice fo a runaway Psyker, and even more so. She disregarded that and searched through the vox vid. Nothing came to be normal looking, other then a sudden shot of startling whiteness and the vox dying right then and there. Replaying the scene over while slower Ni-Fang noticed a word mouth. "Who are?!" The man had tried to say before his heart was burned away.

White garbed soldiers, none in the Imperium wear white if anything remotely that color, mostly blue or green, or at best anything that acts as armor. Ni-Fang thought to herself. she then erased al lthe data she had come across and threw the vox recorder aside. Things had to be done she knew that for sure.

Picking up the emerald green chainsword she was amazed that she could hold such a weapon, normally the really large weapons of the same type only the Space Marines used, rarely did anyone else use it. Heck rarer still was a space marine seen outside of his armor. Pretas would know, she thought, activating her voxto his channel. "Pretas, to my cabin, now" she said to him.

A minute later he knocked on the door, a heartbeat later he was in her cabin. "You wished to see me?"

"What do you know of these, white garbed soldiers? Apparently the capotain of that ship had been slain, I caught something in refelction, a person in white, clearly a Xeno, but i am unsure at this point. Take a look yourself." She activated the vox recored image one last time. Allowing Pretas to see the refelction. "Look at the ewindow behind the captain just before being fired upon." A being in white armor fired something at the man, thus ending the vox recording.

"I know nothing" Pretas said aftyer getting a good look at the man in white, if it was am an. "It is possible the being was a Dark Eldar, knowing that race like I do, i would not put much faith in your navigator." Did he know something about Linelle?

"I can understand your concerns Pretas" Ni-Fang replied calmly, her voice icey. "I run this ship, and my crew I pick myself, trusting the words of my firstm ate. Tomorrow when we reach Kath Station we will pick up our TechMedic. I want you on hand for that." She gave him a sdharp look. "You are my techpriest, and as such you do as ordered, wont you?" At the mans hesitant figiting she pressured him. "Or should I turn you in at the nearst port?"

That got his attention. He gave her a sharp look, how did she know? "How did you?"

"Call it my sixth sense TechPriest. You are on the run from someone, and as such you take gace by joining my crew. In such a case I am hard on such things. But in your case I make an exception, I am not a luxary captain, instead I am more of the merchant that takes a job, no passangers. So I ask you tech Priest. Are you a passanger, or are you part of my crew?"

A minute passed before Pretas answered, "I am part of your crew, and as such I follow orders given. May I go?" Ni-Fang nodded, he left. Atl east the inner peace was still there. the man was an odd one, constnatly working with his hands. He will be useful, she mused as her door slid shut behind Pretas as he left the cabin.

Pretas sweated slightly as he stepped outside the captain's quarters. He was really uneasy, now she knew he was on the run from the law, but thankfully she did not connect him with the psyker fugative notice that was bound to be circulating in this sector of space. And that is what Pretas was, an Alpha plus psyker. There was a price on his head so large that every bounty hunter in the galaxy was bound to be on the lookout for him. Thankfully he had gotten good at disguises to fool most of the descriptions given of him. Also the stress of the past year had given him a few lines in his face. Even though he was only 32, he looked 40 with his dark hair starting to grey a little bit. He gripped his staff tightly as he walked. He was tired enough to be 80+, and scared enough to be 5-. More than anything, he just wanted to be safe and away from the relentless hunters that pursued him halfway across the galaxy. Alpha plus psykers were hunted constantly, shot on sight by the Inquisition unless he could be captured and modified to be their servant. He didn't want to be that, so he fled as far as he could.

He entered his quarters and activated the safety net he put on just in case the crew found out about him and decided to turn him in at the nearest port while he was sleeping. 2 plasma cannons of his invention were mounted on tripods and were facing the door in case anyone barged in without authorization. He told anyone to never enter while he was sleeping, and that if he needed to be contacted, to use the vox system only. He fell asleep quickly, the stress of the past few days wearing on him. He was alone and did not trust any of the crew at all. IF they knew what he was, he knew they would probably turn him in for the reward money, which was in the millions for A + psykers.

Ni-Fang stayed awake for another few minutes or so before nodding off in her bunk, much like the rest of the ship, the rooms were al lthe same, the captains cabin was not any different in size nor was it brightly lit. Ni-Fang slept a fitful sleep. her memories flooding back once more.

She watched it all again. Watching Hieden leave for the battle and never resturn. locking herself in her room for three days while in mounring the loss of such a good man and friend. Once she was with more then her father.

She watched herself grow up, the years passing within a sngle night of time before she woke up in a cold sweat watching Pretas leave the cabin a second time. Something was wrong. her father had always said she was important and that a secret should never be told to anyone. Which was one fo the reason she had such a good crew. people who could follow orders with the proper leverage.

She got up and dressed in clean black clothing, they were near to Kath station now, but still a day from Holy Terra itself. the bridge, she thought, I have to get to the bridge, i have to talk to Hieden. She left her cabin, locking the door behind her.

When she arrived at the bridge it was empty, none in sight. OK now what do I do? She wondered, she wouldn't dare go to Hiedens cabin and knock on his door. She smiled, she would steer them the rest of the way. She went to the helm station and disengaged the autopilot and took control. On her own things were different. Focused soley on navigating the asteroid belt of Holy Terra taking far too many risks as it were she never noticed Hieden and Linelle enter the bridge wondering why they were out of warp. Ni-Fang then noticed something else.

"we are being tracked. I am unsure of by whom, ready arms. Linelle, get everyones weapons, take thesem, get my chainsword from my cabin, the green one you saw me with earlier. Go" Hieden take tactical station. That is normally Pretas station, for now you man it, i'll keep us moving. She hit a few keys, locking the speed at seventy twpo percent power, the rest to weapons. the lurch in the ship caused a stir on Holy Terra, the movement now noticed by everyone, what was a merchants ship doing armed and ready for combat?

Ni-Fang activated her vox, wakening Pretas. "TechPriest", she said calmly. "Man your station at the bridge now. We are being tracked by another. We are near to Holy Terra, yet are on course for Kath Station, we are being tracked. Get up here." She turned off her vox, her orders were given, noew to see if he would follow them.

Pretas awoke, instantly awake at the news of the ship being tracked. He started to panic slightly before he calmed himself with a splash of water on his face. He deactivated the security to his quarters and threw on a red robe and hurried to the bridge. He entered rubbing his eyes as he walked to his station. He tried his best to appear calm, but it was clear he was nervous. "We are being tracked? I will trace it. Standby."

He punched in a few numbers and he ran the traces of the various scans from all of the vessels within range. He paled as he located the specific ship that was tracking them. He whispered in fear. "That ship.....Inquisition.....Ordos Hereticus.....oh dear Emperor......" He looked at Ni Fang in fear. "You have to lose them. I will try to build something to jam their signal and boost our engine output. We have to do something!"

Pretas was on the verge of hysteria and panic. It was clear the man was deathly afraid of the Inquisition and Ordos Malleus in particular. Indeed most Imperium citizens were, but his fear was even more so.

Ni-Fang noticed his panic and her own face paled. The nshe did something totally unrealistic to the event at hand, she started laughing as she spun the wheel the Spirit of Silence lurched downwards, gravity system sending everything not nailed down or properly stowed flying everywhere, nearly sending Hieden himself flying. and no doubt sending Linelle to the floor as well.

"Alright, if it is Inqusition, well then, we'll give them a run for their credit" she said, clearly knowing what she was doing she steered the Spirit of Silence back twoards mars, she knew of a MerTelCom station there that defends its own even against the Inquis, but an Ordos Mallus ship.

What do they want? Well, whatever they are after they aren't getting! not if I can help it! Ni-Fang spoke to Hieden, "lock down all arms, all power to the engines and aft void shields. everyone hold on this is going to get a little bumpy." She said steering the ship towards what appeared to be a tunnel of sorts on the surface of Mars, clearly a hold large enough to allow ships ot land within. But the speed alone they were going made things far worse.

"Hieden, on my mark activate the warp drive!" Ni-Fang said calmly. a heartbeat late after she saw him nod and hover his hand over the activate key she said "NOW!" Hieden pressed the button and the Spirit of Silence jumped to Warp, disappearing in a tearing of light and arkness at once.

Ni-Fang laughed again as the Spirit of Silence disappeared into the warp, another day of steering, things seemed different when she drove the ship instead of Hieden. She cast a look to her TechPriest. "We will be at Kath Station inside the hour. Any idea of what they wanted?" She asked, but her question was not aimed at Pretas, it was aimed at everyone on the crew.

"Nae idea Cap'n." Hieden said, Linelle also shook her head. that left Cirir and the TechPriest, so she turned to them.

"Well?" She said calmly. Apparently only Hiden knew exactly what she was. How dangerous she was to anyone in the Imperium itself.

"It is posible we were tracked upon entry to Holy Terras syastem." Cirir said in his raspy voice, he was one of those mutant types onboard. Only his mutation was barely any voice, and four feet.

"Yes" Ni-Fang replied, "What I want to know is, why? What would the Inquisition want with my ship?" Answer that, she mused, and you're kind for a day.

"It is possible that they wanted not your ship but one upon it." Cirir replied, did he knew about Pretas? Most likley not.

She turned towards Pretas, the question hang in the air until he looked her way.

Pretas swallowed slightly before replying to her. "I cannot be certain. I was in the Imperial Guards before I left the service. It is possible the Inquisition might be hunting me for my desertion. I was an officer after all, not enlisted."

He sighed. "I got tired of seeing the things I saw in the various battles. Horrible things. Daemonic things. I grew tired of commanding men and women to die. I will not command more men and women to die at the hands of the foul xenos and daemons." He turned back to his station, sighing with relief as the rest of the crew bought it. Except for Ni-Fang. She was not entirely convinced of his explanation. Her sixth sense told her he was hiding something else.

The next day....

Pretas was asleep in his quarters, trying to make up for the deprivation of sleep last night, when his vox chirped loudly. He winced as Ni-Fang's voice echoed.

"Techpriest Pretas, report to the embarkation deck. We are docked with the station and I want you to oversee the scanning equipment on our new TechMedic. She will be arriving on board in 10 minutes. Snap to it!"

Pretas groaned as he hurriedly got dressed in his carapace armor and donned his green cloak. He holstered his plasma pistol and grabbed his force staff. He walked toward the embarkation deck quickly. Pretas was uneasy as he got closer to the embarkation deck, he didn't know why, but he was. He took a lift and it shot downward 10 decks, he arrived within 15 seconds and saw the figures in the distance waiting for him. He walked off the lift and went to the scanning station to scan the woman with Ni-Fang. After a few minutes, the scanners reported her clean of all weapons save a laspistol stored in her bag, which was standard for most crewmen to carry. He sighed with relief as he headed toward the pair 200 meters away. He noticed the pale, dark haired woman almost immediately and frowned. He glanced at her as Ni Fang spoke.

"This is our new TechMedic, Pretas. Her name is Hieronyma Galayxa. Hieronyma, this is TechPriest and Gunmaster Pretas."

The woman stared at them both blankly, not saying a word. She had dull, pale gray eyes and most of her black hair hung limply in her face. Taking a quick glance at her, many would think she was sickly. She looked up at Pretas briefly and gave him a short nod.

Pretas looked at her closer and was surprised. His eyes went wide. He could not sense her at all with his psyker powers. He paled as he looked at her. The woman was a null-psyker! She was more than likely a Sister of Battle assassin or operative! She cannot be permitted to be on the same ship as him or he could be killed or captured. He looked at Ni-Fang.

"Don't admit this woman as part of the crew!"

The woman flinched as he said that, staring at the ground. She fidgeted back and forth on her feet, staring at her hands. But still she didn't say a word, but the hurt in her eyes was evident. Ni-Fang looked at him coldly.

"She is part of the crew. Her experience as a Tech Medic has been verified and this ship needs her. Get used to her, Pretas. I run this ship, not you."

Pretas rubbed his head as a massive headache overcame him with the presence of the null-psyker. He stepped away from her quickly to avoid further pain. Ni-Fang paused a moment before continuing.

"If you don't like that, you can get off here."

Pretas flinched as his headache intensified.

"I understand.......excuse me."

He clutched his head and walked off really fast, his head was threatening to split open. Ni-Fang watched him go coldly.

"I will deal with him later. Your quarters are on deck 2. Report to the bridge, 800 hours."

Ni-Fang growled as she went after the fleeing TechPriest. She was going to give him a piece of her mind and demand an explanation. Now was not the time for any secrets or friction among the crew. Hieronyma nodded at Ni-Fang's retreating form. She picked up the small bag she had, and walked into the ship, looking around warily. She headed toward her quarters and collapsed in the bed, worn out from the journey to get there.

Ni-Fasng entered the Spirit of Silence after PRetas did rather quickly. "Pretas! Stop Right there!" She called after him, not seven meters into the docklobby of the ship, She turned the man arund. "Look at me!" Her eyes were of dark fury. "What happens on my ship is my problem, what is wrong with you man? You spoke of the inquisition ship, why would they be after my ship, what have you done before to desert your post?"

"It is too much to explain, but that woman can't be here!" Preta's replied

"This is my ship, i make crew choices. You are my TechPriest, and as such if you think that way I'll make sure you make a choice, you either stay on my crew, or I turn you in at Holy Terra to the Inqui! Maske your choice TechPriest. What are you running from?! Tell me!" Ni-Fang had a dark look, a.... tainted daemonic look in her eyes. Sure she was drop dead beautiful, but she was tainted directly by Dread Chaos itself. For all she cared she just opened her self up to her own techpriest.

So she calmed herself. "What would you rather have happen to yourself PRetas, caught by those that seek you for your fleeing battle, or will you put up Galayxa? Your choice."

Pretas shrank at her words before he closed his eyes in pain. "It doesn't matter anyway....I am dead even if I tell you the truth. If you only knew what I was, you would turn me in anyway, if that witch of a woman you let on board doesn't kill me first. The price on my head is in the millions. Whatever.....I am done running. I am tired of running for my life, of changing disguises and appearances. I am simply too tired and worn out to keep dodging assassins and the Inquisition. If I die, I die with my head held high, not cowering in some corner. Very well, "captain". You want to know the truth? Do you honestly want to know what I am running from? I run from Ordos Hereticus for a very good reason."

He paused before continuing. "I run not because I was a coward. I was never that. I never ran from battle. I saved my own men from the daemons on Gorash V! I stood between them and the daemons that wanted to consume their flesh and their souls! And for it, I was held at gunpoint by my own men and informed that I was going to be purged by the Inquisition! All because I am a psyker! Thankfully I broke free from them before the Sisters of Battle came for me and I have been running the past year from them and their hunter squads. You think they would allow an Alpha plus psyker to live? I could wipe an entire planet clean of all life by accident, destroy an entire host of greater daemons, and snap a Titan as easily as it were a toothpick! They are going to kill me on sight, they will not capture me unless I am taken either asleep or wounded severely, and only to be interrogated and tortured until I am enslaved to them!"

He leaned against his staff that he carried. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I want to live. But I know that my life is over. I am dead no matter what now. Either you turn me in after I refuse to be part of your crew, or you turn me in anyway regardless. The reward as I said is in the millions. I will not run anymore. I am tired of running, tired of being afraid to walk in the street or into a place for fear it will be my last moment. Tired of fleeing from world to world with no home and no hope of ever losing anyone after me. No family, no friends, no wife or children, no safe haven for me. There is only a nightmarish maze in which one wrong turn ends with me dead. The maze is run out now. The wolf has caught its prey."

He pointed toward her holstered laspistol. "Grant me one last favor. Kill me before you turn my body in, your reward will be the same. It will be the merciful thing to do for me, since if I am taken alive, I will be tortured and killed anyway. This way, its quicker."

Ni-Fangs eyes widened as her TechPriest told her his story. So the Inqui were not after her? finally she spoke. "That is the truth then?" At his nod she started to laugh. he started at her. Was she mad? She looked at him. "No, reward or not you are on my crew, I would have to seek a new techpriest, I do not plan on doing that, you are under my command, speak to noone about what you have told me, purge it from your mond. And never forget who is charge of this ship, Never!" her eyes weredark again.

"If I am to explain myself to you when taking on another crewman, I will kill you myself where you stand! Soon as the ore is onloaded to the Spirit of Silence, we make for Holy Terra to sell our wares, When that happens I want you to be at the bridge at all times, if the Inqui are after you, I want them to know they are not to mess with my ship. Understand?" At his nod she smiled.

But he was confused, "You plan on turnein g me in?"

"No, I have a better plan, you are part of my crew and as such you will remain so, consider my ship as your home, all you have to do in this bargin is provide your skills as a techpriest, maybe as a Psyker, but only if I say so for the latter. until that time I want you to act as normal TechPriest, i'll speak with Galayxa. When we return to Holy Terra to sell the ore, I want you to jam all vox transmissions from any inqui ship. Got that?" at his nod she smiled again ,her eyes chagining back to their normal light brown, clearly she was something else. But then again would he confront her about herself? Did Hieden tell the others?

Pretas nodded numbly. "Understood, but your new crewman is a null-psyker. It pains me mentally and physically to be around her. And she is a strong one, it is likely she is a Sister of Battle operative or assassin sent after me. Why else would there just happen to be a null psyker that just happens to be a TechMedic that you need? You will not turn me in, but she still might come after me and kill me."

He sighed "I will double the security measures on my quarters and make sure my Rosarius is working at all times. The force field will save my life if she tries to kill me. I will go to my quarters first and collect what I need to ensure my safety. Ok?"

Ni-Fang nodded, "granted, do what you must, then get to your station before we leave Kath system. i'll talk with Galayxa and find out her true intentions, until I speak with you again on this matter, you will have to learn to deal with her being on this ship." he nodded and elft. She watched him go. So she had a crewman with a past similar to her own. At least he does not have a daemon within himself. she thought. Yet he is hunted by the Inquisition.

She turned and headed for the bridge, she knew her uncle would be there. When she arrived Hieden was waiting. "All is well lass, one thing is for certain, the way our techpriest left ya in ah hurry something must be happenin' Ah take it?"

"Yes, something of personal matters, none of your concern Hieden. are we stocked and loaded?"

"Aye" Hieden replied.

"We leave in four hours for Holy Terra to sell the ore to several spaces there."

"Aye cap'n ah, Captain, we have a ship on sights. Inquisition class warship to be exact. They're hailing us."

"Put it on speaker." Ni-Fang said, once Hieden had done so the voice that came on the speakers was gruff.

"This is the Inquisition ship Peacemaker, we are tracking your vessel for a known alpha plus Psyker on the run, he is wanted for termination by order for the God Emperor. PRepare for boarding of your vessel at once."

Ni-Fang smiled. then ketyed the vox. "This is Ni-Fang captin of the Spirit of Silence leased by MerTelCom, invasion of a merchant vessel would be seen as treachary on your hands Inquisitor would it not?"

"I care not who you are woman I want that Psyker! PRepare for boarding party to come aboard and take him" The vox died. Ni-Fang started laughing. Then keyed pretas channel.

"TechPriest, don't worry of those coming on board looking for you. I'll handle them, all I ask is that you seal yourself in your chambers. and not to worry." Ni-Fang then waited for the Inqui ship to dock with her own vessel. They want a battle, so they will get it. She thought darkly as she stalked towards thedocking ring area. Emerald chainsword in one hand.

A minute passed and the door slid open. Seven men dressed in heavy powered armor entered the area, their weapons ready. "Heya fellas." Ni-Fang said calmly.

"is it her?" One asked.

"Yes, the alpha plus psyker" The other said, getting the details of who was what ttoalyl wrong

"orders?" Said another

"Total termination" said the one in cvharge

"She is still...." Said a nother

"only human" The seventh said swining his chainsword, only to have it kicked away, and sent flying backwards in a heap.

Ni-Fang looked from the man to the others. "Hmm. advanced training." She said ,then they all ran forwards, she ducked a swing, and tore out a mans heart, flipping upwards she grabbed a fallen chainsword, activating both she shortly became a whirlwinsd of motion. Three men dead, their powered armor in shards, broken.

The rest backed up, one fo them hissed out a word, Loud enough to be heard by all ibn the room. "She's a daemon!!" He was mostly right, Ni-Fang had changed, slightly. Spinning with unnatural speed she caught another soldier in the jaw, sending him flying back int his own ship, she looked to the others, the three men left. As if daring them. "You invaded my ship, and I wanred you of who I was, yet your commander did not listen. Know this, if you survive your encounter with one tainted by the warp, good luck on surviving trhe God Emperor himself."

"HERETIC!" the lead soldier shouted running forwards, his huge cvhainsword in constant motion, Ni-Fang ducked and flipped backwards, drawing her twin blades, both of them another mans weapons. to defend herself.

Ten minutes later it was over. The other ship was now a dead ship no doubt, self destructed no doubt as Ni-Fang had fought her way into the core of the vessel and activated said codec before returnnig to her own, no ship that knew of what she was survived her wrath. Ever. The God Emperor himself knew what she was, and allowed her to do as she pleased. Because of the total control of her inner daemon no doubt. But the men were stupid. Sealing the ring for docking she told Hieden via vox. "Disengage us, and meet me at my chambers." Two heartbeats later she hit the deckplates, surrounded by a dozen dead men, and a bad cut in the base of her spine.

Ni-Fang barely moved as she lay on the deck, Hieden waited a moment, then screamed quickly. "TECHMEDIC!"

Hieronyma was there within a minute. "What happened?" she said, the first time anyone had heard her voice. It was barely above a whisper. She knelt down next to Ni-Fang, checking her over.

Hieden ran around the corner a moment later. "She is hurt badly. Looks like one of them nicked her with a blade."

Hieronyma rolled her over gently, checking the wound on her back. "It is deep," she said quietly. She took out the small med kit she had with her, and then looked up at Hieden. "I need someone to help me move her."

Hieden nodded. "I will carry her. To the medical bay?"

Hieronyma nodded and motioned for Hieden to follow her. She gathered her kit and stood up, walking briskly to the medical bay. "Hurry." She was so quiet, Hieden had barely heard her.

Hieden carried Ni-Fang quickly, knowing every second counted in saving her life.

Hieronyma ran into the medical bay, and started gathering supplies. She motioned for Hieden to set Ni-Fang on one of the beds closest to her.

Hieden did as he was told. The off-duty crew arrived in the medical bay a few moments later, having heard the news. Pretas was one of the last to arrive, still afraid of Hieronyma.

Hieronyma didn't look up, she was too busy trying to stop the bleeding from Ni-Fang's wound. "I need someone to help me with her," she said. Everyone strained to hear her.

Hieden volunteered as he strode forward. "What do you need me to do?"

Hieronyma stepped back, one hand pressed to the wound on Ni-Fang's back. "Apply pressure to the wound," she intstructed.

Hieden put both his hands on Ni-Fang's back, putting pressure on it.

Hieronyma moved aside quickly, gathering a few things, before running back over. She motioned for Hieden to move aside, and then quickly applied a salve to the wound, and then quickly began to bandage it, motioning for Hieden to move back and help her.

Hieden moved back. "What should I do now?"

"Help me bandage the wound," the medic instructed. She pressed a bandage to the wound, motioning for Hieden to help her secure it in place. She took some more bandaging and secured the bandage in place. After the bandage was secured, she got a needle and injected Ni-Fang with a sedative.

"She will be fine," Hieronyma said quietly. "She should sleep for a few hours."

Hieden nodded. "I will take her command place on the bridge until she is recovered. How long till she can move around?"

"A day or so, if she rests." Hieronyma covered Ni-Fang with a blanket, then turned towards the other crew members. "I will stay here and watch over her."

Hieden nodded. "Very well then. Alright people, back to your posts if you were on duty. Off-duty people go back to your quarters."

Pretas looked at Hieronyma, studying her carefully. He was trying to see if she was a Sister of Battle operative or not. He turned to leave.

Hieronyma sat down at a desk across the room. She glanced curiously at Pretas. He didn't like her. Most of the other crew was fine with her, but he had a problem with her. She wasn't really that surprised. Most people didn't like her, even those she passed on the streets.

Pretas walked out of the room. He was not sure what to make of her, but he was still convinced she was a Sister of Battle.

Hieronyma stayed where she was, and watched Ni-Fang for most of the night.

Several hours later...

Heironyma yawned and went back to her quarters, instructing one of the medical Servitors to watch over Ni-Fang while she slept. Several minutes later, a shimmering was seen as Pretas disengaged his cloaking device. He had rigged it up during the night and was pleased to find it was effective against the visible eye, though he was still detectable by thermal optics. He shrugged at the time, figuring he could always rig something else up to fool them as well. He took out a teleport flare and threw it at one of the stasis tubes, it glowed brightly for a second before it disappeared. Pretas also gathered equipment he needed quickly and placed a second teleport flare on the pile of equipment. It also shimmered away as well. Satisfied, he walked over to the unconscious Ni-Fang and placed a hand on hers. He spoke hesitantly.

"I am glad and thankful for your sacrifice on my behalf. Not many would have done the same. I thank you."

Pretas nodded slightly and walked away. He was heading toward Cargo Bay 13, an unused cargo bay that was in the bowels of the ship. Nevertheless, he would have to work quickly if all of the equipment he stole was to be put toward good use. He entered the cargo bay and spotted the equipment in the corner of the cargo bay. He smiled as he started assembling the portable genetics lab and setting up the stasis tube to the power generation system present in the cargo bay itself. 10 years of being an officer in an Enginseer detachment of the Imperial Guards paid off with his vast knowledge of technology. He learned far more quickly than his peers in the Guard, and it helped him to survive as long as he had from Imperial Justice. He smiled as he started splicing DNA and enhancing the genetic material he had taken from the others to create a random clone. The small fetus was placed in the stasis tube. It would mature in a few days, utterly programmed to be loyal to Pretas and doubling as a formidable soldier. Pretas was not going to take any chances with the Sister of Battle. If she tried to harm him, she would find a surprise. For Pretas was remaking one of the oldest of the old Imperial Army regiments, possibly one of the most formidable soldiers and assassins in the Unification Wars of Terra and the subsequent Great Crusade. Pretas was a student of history and knew the Lucifer Blacks were some of the best non-marine soldiers ever to have lived. They also made for great bodyguards. Starting tonight, the Lucifer Blacks would be reborn.

A few hours later, Hieronyma walked back in to check on Ni-Fang. She turned her on her back, checking the wound. It was healing quite nicely, but she applied more salve to it just to make sure, and changed the bandages. When she was finished, she turned Ni-Fang back over and made sure the other woman was comfortable, and turned to walk out.

Right as she turned around, Hieronyma stopped, something odd catching her eye.

Some of the equipment was missing. One of the stasis tubes, a genetic kit, and a few other assorted supplies were gone. Hieronyma frowned in confusion. Surely none of the crew members would steal from the ship...unless they had ill intentions. She didn't really know everyone on the ship to be a good judge of character of them yet, though.

"Hieden to the medical bay," Hieronyma said softly into the vox.

Hieden arrived a few minutes later. His eyes immediately went to Ni-Fang, checking for any signs of distress in her. "Aye, is there something you need?"

Hieronyma simply pointed to the empty spot where the stasis tube was. And it was also apparent to anyone that there were other supplies missing. She wasn't much for words.

"I don't see-" Hieden stopped, finally noticing the missing supplies. "Aye, I see what you mean. Do ya think a member of the crew stole them?"

Hieronyma merely shrugged.

She woke up, slowly. First came the pain. Searing pain at the base of her back, then nothing. opening her eyes slowly she noticed first two things, ther first was she was not in her cabin, and she was under a sheet. And not exactly dressed. Great. Just great. She thought darkly. Then she rolled over and threw up. Gah! what was I given?

She made to sit up. Noticing first and formost her dark bacl top was removed and laying (thankfully) within reach, but that wasn't the half of it, Hieden and Galayxa were also there, only steps away, looknig directluy at her. "Well?" She asked, holding the sheet in a modest manner.

"Ye' awake lass." Hieden replied. "'Tis a good thing, ye had me worried."

"I am not dead yet, it will take more then a chainsword to kill me and the daemon within." She winced as she moved to stand up. Now thankful that Galayxa was helpful enough to leave the dark offwhite undress still on her. That helped, somewhat. The pain lasted but a moment before it passed, she lurched to her feet. Somewhat unsteady. "How long was I asleep? What happened?"

"Ye was injured from something, I'm thinkin' a chainswrod or the like, a pistola would have done more damage, ye shouldn't be walking this soon, you need rest." Hieden said.

Ni-Fang gave him a dark look, her light brown eyes going totally black for but a moment before she spoke. "I am fine Hieden. tell me truthfully, what system are we in?"

"We are still in the kath system, I thought it best we remain here until you woke, Linelle is up on the bridge awaiting your orders to get us going." Hiden replied.

"And Pretas?" Ni-Fang asked, she thought she had heard him in her sleep. he had said thank you to her. But why did he do such a thing?

"In his chambers I think." came the answer.

"Anything else I am to know?" Ni-Fang asked replacing her dark black top. She looked to Hieden

"Aye, one other, someone has made off with a stasis tube" Hieden replied.

"Until I speak to the crewmen myself, keep this between us only. head us out of the system at halfspeed, I need to think." Ni-Fang said. Hieden nodded.

When Ni-Fang had mentioned daemons, a brief look for fear and absolute horror had flashed across Hieronyma's face, but she quickly hid it, knowing they would question her if they saw. The shy woman walked over to Ni-Fang, and gently pushed her back until she was sitting on the bed again. "You shouldn't be moving yet," she said in her shy little voice. "You need rest."

Ni-Fang glared at her. "I'm fine, I need to watch over my crew and my ship, and solve this problem."

The timid medic met her glare with a fierceness that Ni-Fang had not expected. "You just has a severe back injury, you could be up on your feet in a few hours if you just rested." Ni-Fang was stubborn, she had to give her that. But for such a shy woman, Hieronyma could be stubborn as well.

Ni-Fang smiled thinly. "I said it before, it will take more then a chainsword to take me down, i have had worse as a child, and even though I look weak. I am far from such." She said calmly. "if you not believe my word, ask my first mate, no doubt he will tell you of the nail bomb I was playing with fourteen years ago" She was smiling at that memory.

But Hieden stared, how could she remember such a memory? He bareluy remembered it himself! Then he refelcted on it slightly. Ni-Fang was only four at the time, a child. She was always getting into trouble on every ship she took a trip on or was able to get near enough to explore. The nail bomb was something a young man from Holy Terra had dreamed up. A bomb to scare rather then outright destroy. Sending nails, brand new and used, and rusted as well. In every direction when set off.

She had found the tiny bomb and was trying to figure out how the thing worked, when it went off, sending nails in all directions in that cabin, even into her, two nails right into her heart and out the other side, which healed remarkably faster then expected. Her parents thought her dead when she didn't react to anything for two days after the incident.

But back to the present, when Galayxa looked his way Hieden nodded. "Aye, 'twas a nail bomb of ready manufacture, for use on planets or in urban warfare. She was four at the time, did not wake up for two days, scared her Da somethin fierce from what I recall, two nails right through the heart."

And there she was, still standing. Still breathing. Still alive. "Get us moving Hieden. I want to put many miles between kath Station and us before more Inqui ships arrive, if any more come, Kath has standing orders to keep them away. The inquisition are seeking an alpha plus pskyer, if we are boarded, we don;t have one aboard, just a normal Techpriest. Understood." At their nods she smiled. "I am in need of a drink."


	3. Chapter 3

**Rogue Trader; Season One****  
Episode Three; Ork Wars**

_The next day..._

Pretas came off duty the next day, having an uneventful shift for once. He headed immediately toward Cargo Bay 13 and checked on the maturing fetus. It was the size of a small child now and maturing fast. Within 2 days he would be ready to assume his role. Pretas smiled as he put the black armored uniform he had fashioned for the new soldier next to the tube, along with the powersword, the plasma pistol, and a custom built weapon Pretas had fashioned for the new Lucifer Black. A weapon that fired bolter rounds with a secondary feed for a lasgun. It was finely crafted and put together by Pretas after he left the fetus to mature and took a trip to the armory where thousands of weapons were in storage. No one would notice a few missing weapons. The armor was a bit harder to make and obtain, having taken nearly 5 hours of effort in the night to make it. The right pieces for it had to be fashioned. He had cannibalized 2 sets of Carapace armor and weaved the black leather fabric he had around the armor to fashion a uniform similar to the Lucifer Black uniforms of 10,000 years ago.

He wanted no one to mistake the bodyguard for what he was, a highly trained and lethal weapon. Thankfully, that training and knowledge was inbred in the genetic coding, though the exact science was not really known to Pretas. He had done it without thinking, his hands working on their own to produce it. He shrugged it off as another one of those curious instances in which his knowledge seemed unknown to his conscious mind. There was still more work to be done, but for now, the main part was to wait. When Pretas returned to his quarters, he would fashion the armored black leather boots and the helmet, with a vox set and a full array of optics, including thermal, night vision, infared, and bio scanners, along with other scanners put into the armored suit.

Pretas tried to think of what else would be useful, but figured he could think of most of everything very easily in the morning. Tonight needed more work to be done. Pretas stood up and walked back to his quarters, sighing contently.

Ni-Fang had recovered mosto f her strength as she was sitting on the edge of the medical bed the day before, now moving about the ship freely as she always had without worry She headed for Pretas chambers, maybe he'd have some input as to what was going on. She saw him walking down the hall, obvisouly heading to his chambers anyhow from somewhere. So she called to him. "Pretas."

He stopped and turned around as she drew up next to him. "Yes, captain?"

"When I was asleep you spoke to me did you not? Was that through dreams or other means?" Apparently she knew only so much of a psyker. Though she herself was more Daemon then anything else.

"No" Pretas said shaking his head. He had not entered her dreams, that would have been insulting to her for another to come in unbidden to do so. "I merely stood by your side, why do you ask?"

"Did you see anyone in the medcial bay while I was asleep when you were there aside from the servitor?" She asked him, she sounded confused about something.

Pretas shook his head "No madam I did not see anyone aside from yourself and the servitor. Why? Is something wrong?"

"One of the stasis tubes is missing. I spoke with the others, and still have to speak to Cirir, do you have any idea of who may have taken it? or why one would need it?" Secrets could be kept yes, but how strong could a aplha plus be against a pure daemon? Ni-Fang did not seem to want to find out, so she was asking nicely.

Pretas shook his head."No, I can't imagine for the life of me why anyone would take them." He put stuff on his belt as he was getting ready. "Look Captain, my shift starts in like a half hour and I haven't eaten yet. Can we resume this discussion after my shift in 6 hours or so? I will be able to answer any more specifics then."

Ni-Fang nodded and Pretas walked out of his quarters, heading to the cafeteria. So they discovered the theft after all. Surprising so soon, but not entirely unexpected.

In Hieronyma's quarters, the alarms went off. Hieronyma sighed and sat up, turning it off. It was time for her shift. After she changed into some clean clothes she walked out of her quarters.

Pretas walked along the corridor alone, heading towards the cafeteria at a fast speed, his thoughts were too busy on the new Lucifer Black clone he had been making to pay attention to where he was going.

Hieronyma walked around the corner, heading for the bridge to report to duty. Her thoughts were turned inward, so she wasn't really paying attention to where she was going, either.

Pretas didn't realize he wasn't alone until his mind starting hurting. He winced and blinked his eyes open. What he saw made him freeze like a rabbit in a spotlight. Hieronyma was was less than five feet away from him, walking in the opposite direction. She looked distracted, and was looking right at Pretas, but wasn't really there.

Pretas stepped away quickly, he fumbled for his plasma pistol, but it wasn't coming loose from the holster. As Pretas scrambled away, the noise made Hieronyma snap of her revelries. She blinked, and looked at Pretas in surprise. She knew he didn't like her, and decided to just leave him alone. She turned to walk away.

He whispered to her harshly. "I know what you are, Sister of Battle. Don't think for a second that I don't know otherwise."

Hieronyma stopped, and turned around. Her lank hair was hanging in her face, but the confusion in her dull gray eyes was evident. "What?" It was a barely audible whisper.

"Don't play games with me. You know what I am, and I know what you are. You are one of their operatives, possibly an assassin."

The plasma pistol came free and he pointed it quickly at her.

Hieronyma flinched back in fear. She backed away, shaking her head. "I'm not, I don't know what you mean..." Tears began to brim in her eyes.

"Liar! You want to kill me, have the Inquisition purify me for being a psyker. Guess what? I won't go so easily and I will kill as many of you freaks as I can."

The frail young woman started to cry. "N-no, I am just a TechMedic...j-just leave me alone!!!"

"You are a null psyker! Only a Sister of Battle operative would be one and just happen to be on the same ship as a fugative Alpha plus psyker! Null psykers are extremely rare, you might only find one per planet if that. Same goes for psykers of my strength! If you are not Sister of Battle, then it's a big concidence, and I don't believe in them."

"A-a null psyker? I can't be, they would have known..." She stopped right there. Tears streamed down her face.

Pretas wavered slightly, maybe she was telling the truth. Either this woman was the real article, or was a very convincing actor. He didn't expect an operative to be breaking down and crying. He lowered his plasma pistol and stared at her. "Yes, a null psyker."

"S-so that's wh-why everyone hates me, that's why my parents abandoned me..." As soon as she said that, she stopped herself, stared at Pretas for a minute, then fled.

Pretas let her go, he was in shock. So maybe she wasn't a Sister of Battle operative after all. He shook himself, only way to know is to get his Lucifer Black full grown and geared up.

As Hieronyma walked to the bridge, she slowed her pace, trying to dry the tears off her face. Of course. Why hadn't she figured it out? That was why everyone hated her, that was why she had been shunned and frowned upon for all her life. Why hadn't they told her... The timid woman tried to make herself more presentable as she walked onto the bridge.

Ni-Fang stood at the helm next to Hiden as he steered the Spirit of Silence through deep space before they were to make the jump to warp. Sometimes she did not like it when things went wrong on her ships, even ships she was on as a passanger. But she had made it clear, no passangers were to be on her craft, none at all. She nodded towards Galayxa as she entered the bridge, the helm of the craft looked that of a ship from Terras waters, of a older pirate vessel from the Olde Worlde of long ago. "Thanks to your skills as a techmedic, Galayxa, I am back on my feet." She smiled towards her.

Linelle typed in the needed chart, and the path was directed. They'd reach Holy Terra in a day and a half to sell their ore. Ni-Fang continued to speak towards Galayxa. "When I told you in the Medical bay yesterday morn of the daemon within. I spoke the truth. The control that i have over the daemon within me, had granted me a gift of grace from the Emerperor of mankind himself to do as I wished without hinderance." She let out a breath. "Yet there are some who see otherwise."

Galayxa replied quiety. "So that would be the men who attacked you?"

"They are dead at my hand, though I have done worse. I am not a stranger to death and destruction, just as you are not a stranger to healing another of their wounds." Ni-Fang turned to Hiden. "Head us to warp."

"Aye Captain." Hieden replied pressing a few keys on the panel before him as he turned the ship slightly to the port. Pressing the activation key the Spirit of Silence went to warp. "Captain, if I may speak freely?"

"Need you ask?"

"No but I thought I should" At her nod he continued. "I spoke ta Cirir, he said he has no idae of who would want a stasis tube, or what such a item would be needed for. Normalyl from what I understand of the ones on the Dawn. They are used normally for flash cloning parts of ones body. Or so Cirir says."

"Flash cloning, I wonder of why." Ni-Fang was looking forwards, not noticing Pretas enter the bridge behind the helm where the only door was.

Pretas frowned as he overheard the conversation about the stasis tube, but ignored it as he went to his post and monitored the sensors. He sighed as he looked at the sensor data. At best, the sensors were obsolete, they would require significant overhaul and jerryrigging before they would meet his standards. He would have to work on them tomorrow sometime. He yawned slightly, having not gotten alot of sleep last night from making the equipment needed for his new Lucifer Black bodyguard. If the clone was to protect him, he will have to have specialized and the best equipment he could give it. Pretas wouldn't sleep easily until the bodyguard was able to protect him. For now, Pretas worked at the controls, keeping watch over the Warp and the surrounding space as they moved.

Hieden leaned closely to Ni-Fang, "Lass after all this mess, are ye still interested in re-claiming the Red Dawn?"

"Of course I am, more than ever now, why do you ask Hammer?" She whispered not wanting the others to hear.

"Well lass, now that Hieronyma, is aboard, I best let ye know, to carry this out we will need the co-operation of everyone on board, includin' the bloody mutants. But first of all we need to have a wee talk with Pretas."

"Pretas, why?"

"Linelle knows he was at one time at Anath 20, and he knows his way around there, I hae not bin there for nigh on twenty years, and neither has Linelle."

"He'll never agree, he knows the Sisters have a base there, and after what's happened Uncle, I can't risk drawing more attention to myself or the ship."

"Ye won't have to lass, if ye let Linelle have a chat with him, it'lll go all smooth sailin' I promise ye."

"What guarantees do I have?"

Hieden whispered even lower. "Linelle be one o' the nine Priestess's of Sodar, borag hunters, she herself is wanted by the Imperium, because they'd rather have em' where they could see em' than running loose."

"And you brought her to my ship, Hieden I should kill you myself here and now, no one as powerful as that should be running around free."

"You know better lass, what better place for one of the nine, than to be faithful to you?"

"Hmmm, you may be right, how much do yo trust her?"

"With me life Ni, an you know ah, cherish that pretty much!"

"Very well then, I'll call him to my cabin in ten minutes, you and Linelle come right after."

"It will be done."

***

Linelle walked beside Hieden down the companionway, and spoke in low tones. "He will resist Star, you know that."

"Aye Lin, ah know, in fact ah'm counting on it. Just do what you have to do."

She punched him hard on ther arm. "You are eveil Hammer Starfire, do you know that?"

"Aye'" he said as he rapped on Ni-Fangs door.

"Enter"

They entered the slightly darkened cabin, Ni-Fang was sitting behind her desk, casually looking over a chainsword she had acquired earlier. Pretas stood a little nervously to one side. He spoke first.

"I had know idea this was a ships conference Captain, is Hieronyma, going to be here as well?"

Ni-Fang answered simply. "No, Linelle would like a word with you."

"The half-eldar? What in hell for..." He looked directly at the tall woman standing next to Heiden. "I can barely relate to her, all I get is a curt nod, if I'm lucky."

"Tis lucky ye get that lad." Hieded answered abruptly.

Linelle then outlined the plan for retrieving the Red Dawn, taking the Spririt to Anath 20, and sheltering her in a ravine not far from the city, taking a skimmer, they would enter the city as freelance merchants looking for a ship, and Pretas would act as guide until they reached Suldown, the Merchant. Linille would then use Suldown's debt to her as a bargainig chip, to cut his price on the Red Dawn, and then they would be away. A two ship squadron.

"No, I will not go there. Captain you might as well shoot me now and collect the reward I will not go where the Sisters have a base, especially one as large as that."

"Are you sure Pretas?" Linelle looked at him directly, her sea green eyes afire.

"What, are you going to curse me with some eldar nonsense?" He almost laughed.

"No, why should I?"

The next Pretas knew, he was pinned to the bulkhead, his feet a metre or more off the deck, tendrills of what seemed like ice, pinning his body, and slowly closing on his neck. He could barely speak and his powers usesless. "What, what .....are you?" He choked his words.

Linelle lifted a medallion from within her blouse, a stylised nine, made from a writhing dragon.

"Now do we have an accord Pretas?"

Ni-Fang and Hieden just looked on slightly ammused.

"But, but the sisters....."He choked.

"You let me take care of them." Linille said. "Are we agreed then?"

"Y....y-y-yes." He stammered. And she let him fall with a thud to the deck, the whole while Linille had not moved. She turned to Ni-Fang.

"Here is the course for Anath 20, captain, I believe we have a ship to retrieve." And with that she walked out. Pretas sat there still, not moving until the half-eldar was out of sight

Pretas stood back up, rubbing his neck where he was being strangled before. He looked after Linelle's retreating form in hatred. He hated being cowed and forced into submission to do whatever they wanted, regardless of his safety. He turned toward the Captain.

"You cannot be serious about going to this world......its like me walking into the Inquisition headquarters and asking for a rope to hang myself with! I would be safer on a Space Marine Homeworld than on Anath 20."

Pretas looked desperate, on the verge of hysterics. He was fearful about anything to do with the Inquisition, even paranoid to the point of insanity about them. It had earned him the nickname of "Paranoid Pretas" by the rest of the crew. Little did he know, but it was Hieronyma that gave him that nickname to Ni-Fang and Linelle earlier that day.

Ni-Fang looked to Pretas after everyone else had left her cabin. Apparently she wanted to talk to him alone. She set aside a datasheet and look ot the man. "I want to get my fathers falgship from the man who currently holds it. From what i know of the craft it is larger then the Silence because of its size alone. Yet we will need a captain for it, Hieden was once its captain. But that was int he past." She stood up and began to pace the room.

"You thanked me for my actions of defending you against the Inquisition. You are my TechPriest Pretas, you do as I command. So in this case I will override Linells request to have you lead, and only provide us instead with a map to Suldons, I know there is a Sisters of Battle Gound Quarters there at that port, but it is also where my fathers ship is located." She smiled.

"Besides" She said. "I'm a daemon, did you not hear what the Inquisition troops had said when they tried to kill me?" He looked at her, his eyes staring, so the tales were true then. "Don't worry, I can control the daemon within myself, easier then the God-Emperor had first thought. That said, he has given me leave to do as I wish through the Imperium. And if the Sisters of Battle are after you. Let me handle them." She found herself thinknig about the mail bomb her father had Faathless Herman create for him. Those were fun items. Though they hurt.

Linelle rubbed her temples as she reached the bridge, Hieronyma, came to her and asked. "Elder, what is wrong, can I help?"

"No Hieronyma, it'll pass, I just a have slight headache is all."

Hieronyma placed her hands gently on Linelle's forehead, and gasped, immediatley she withdrew her hand. "Priestess forgive me, I...I did not know." She had received a flash of a vision of Linille in battle garb, fighting a barog, the nine medallion shining brighthly above her bosom. Hieronyma knew then she had a teacher of reknown, if only she could get Linelle on side.

***

A few minutes later Ni-Fang entered the bridge followed closely by Hieden. "Change of plans slightly Linelle, we can't risk Pretas being discovered on Anath 20, so between Hieronyma, you, Heiden and myself, we shall have to get the job done. Pretas will mark a map for us, but stay aboard the Spirit, are you sure you can handle Suldown?"

"Yes, he will not be a problem, it's getting past the Sisters on departure that might cause us worry, they will sense Pretas, and me."

"Then you and I willl be battlle sisters afterall Linelle, I remember the stories now, how six Priests of Soldar and three hundred marines faced the barog hordes, and only you survived..." N-Fang laughed. "We will do well, and with Hieden's cunning, we will have a new ship at the end of the day." She was beaming brightly.

Ni-Fang smiled as the ship turned slightly on its new heading. They were going to get her fathers ship back, a ship larger then her own. Maybe become the owner of the older ship, but only fate dictated everything of what would happen to it. How much crew it would need for that matter. A Lunar class vessel was what the Dawn was, a kilometer or more longer then the Silence, but that did not matter to her much if at all.

Pretas arrived at the bridge, he carried a datasheet and handed it to Ni-Fang. "The map as you requested Captain." He said with a slight bow, giving a dark look towards Linelle. Who only smirked his way.

"Paranoid much are we?" She asked him.

Ni-Fang responded drawing her pistola from its location on her belt and aimed it. "What was that?" She asked calmly. When she was given no response she calmly spoke what was on her mind. "Anyone referrering to our mapmaker and TechPriest as paranoid will be shot by me personally. Is this understood?" Everyone nodded. Ni-Fang turned to Pretas, "Anything else I am to know of Anath Twenty? Other then that it is a rock out in space in orbit of the gas giant Anath?"

"It is sometimes referred to as the Smugglers Moon captain" Pretas replied calmly.

"Good, we will go from there, when we arrive in the system you are to remain in your chambers, let none onto the ship. Or I kill you personally and turn your carcass in for the reward, don;t tempt me Pretas. It is not something I plan on doing, if ever." Pretas only nodded.

Six hours later.....

The ship lurched. Ni-0Fang had been in her chambers thinking and planning, going over the map that Pretas had given her. Leaving her cvhasmbers for the bridge she came to a scene of pure insanity. Two ships were attcking her craft. yet the shields were holding in kind, the void shields kept them safe for how long it did not matter at the time. What did matter was the voices they heard over the vox channel, Orks.

She turned to Hieden, "The Dawn is no longer safe, Get us out of here and to Anath Twenty! Get me there first or there'll be the devil to pay" She hissed

"First?" Hieden asked confused.

"Who alerted the Orks to rove this space lane? Who told them of Anath Twenty?" She looked ready to scream to high heaven, yet she was holding it in as she looked back out the viewport as she breathed out the words calmly. "Dread Chaos."

With the mention of Orks, Linelle turned her head in the direction of the attackers, she could not see them but she could feel them, feel the horrid beating hearts that filled the decks, her eyes became like green fires and suddenly one of the Ork ships disappeared from the screen.

"That'll buy us some....time...captain." Then she collapsed.

Hieronyma, who had been standing nearby, raced to Linelle's side, quickly checking her vitals. Her pulse was a bit rapid, and her breathing labored, but she appeared otherwise okay. Noticing the other crewmembers' eyes on her, Hieronyma stood up.

"She is fine," she explained. "Just tired herself out."

Ni-Fang frowned. "Do you need to take her to the med bay?"

Hieronyma glanced at Ni-Fang, a slight glimmer of fear in her eyes. She remembered the other woman's words. She was daemon possessed. And even if she was in control of the daemon, that did not change the fact that she was. And Hieronyma was terrified of daemons. When Ni-Fang began to frown, Hieronyma finally got the courage to reply.

"No, she just needs rest. She can be taken to her quarters."

"I'll do it." Hieden walked over and picked Linelle up gently, nodding to the others in the room, and walked out, carrying the passed out half-Eldar. Hieronyma stood up and went to walk out.

Bugger, Ni-Fang thought seeing Linelle hit the deckplates, then Hieden took her to her quarters, so much for a priestess. But then that didn't matter much if at all. Now did it? Taking the helm she steered the Spirit of Silence towards what was sure to be certain doom but right before ramming headlong into one fo the Ork ships that remained the Spirit of Silence disappeared into the warp, heading for Anath Twenty.

Linelle bought us some time, but not enough, this is going to be close. She could feel the Orks, their breath itself, breathing sdown her back, but she tried to not worry about it too much. Theyt had very little weapons iof anything at all to fight with, orks were built for battrle, originally to be used by the Tau as a weapon, but they rebeled and became a breeding group, mostly a body with very little in terms of brains, and even more when it came to breeding, they swarmed a target with their foul stench.

After about ten minutes in the warp Ni-Fang dropped the Spirit of Silence out of the darkness and right in the middle of a battle field. "Bloody hell!" She hissed out seeing the craft outside destorying several Chaos crusiers, Ni-Fangs heart seemed to take hurt and strain at the deaths of those on the Chaos craft. Then her own ship was fired on by the silver colored more prettier craft. Sparks exploded from the command screen right in her face.

Turning the ship away as fast as she could through the viel of blood that ran into her eyes, fogging her vision she failed to notice that her Vox was on. And she was heard on the other ships, the seven craft that opened fire on her almost instantly stopped firing at hearing her voice. "Frekit! This is a merchant vessel not a warship! You bloody louts let us pass!!!" She steered the ship, half blind away from the battle as fast as she could. Aiming to fly around the battle site and jump back to the Warp. Hopefully it would not take them too much longer then planned.

At the sound of battle, Hieden checked Linelle once more and saw she was coming around slowly, he kissed her forehead and said he must hurry to the bridge, she waved him off and told him she would be there not far behind.

On entering the companion way he found one of the mutants, Cirir, he ordered him back to engineering and commanded he give him all the power and shield strength the ship could manage on his , nodded assent and scurried away. Hieden reached the bridge and it was mayhem, Ni-Fang was laying face down, one arm over the ships control, which was sending the Spirit into a tight port side spiral, toward the centre of the battle.

Pretas was knocked unconcious and Hieronyma was curled in a tight ball, her hands covering her ears. Hieden walk over to her and yelled her name, she did not repsond. He bodily picked her up so that her face was level with his. "Hieronyma, do ye want to die here lass?" She shook herself in the negative and he let her go.

"Now see to Ni-Fang, I have to get the Spirit away from this mess."

Hieronyma, did as she was told and tended to Ni-Fang, who luckily was still conscious, but had a large head wound where she had hit the mai control panel.

Now that Hieden had the ships, he first manouvered her away from the concentration of fire. It wasn't aimed at them specifically now, they just happened to be in the centre of it. "Damn and blast it." He said to himself as the controls seemed sluggish to respond. But with sheer effort, he managed to get the Spirits nose up, just a Linelle came to assist.

"Ah good lass, give me those co-ordinated for Anath 20 now. " She handed him a command card and he pushed it into the control slot.

Hieden voxed Cirir, nad said. "Now Cirir, give me everything."

The mutant responded and as soon as the Spirits auto control linked with the card, she lurched into warp, with shields holding, and finally they could breathe a sigh of relief. Linellle checked the tracking monitor and course monitors. "No one folowing, and eight hours to Anath 20"

Hieden then turned and bent to Ni-Fang, on his knee next to her. "All is well lass, how do ye fare?"

"Fine uncle Hammer, will you finish the story now?"

"Yes Snow Leopard, I will, now sleep." He placed his big hand on her brow and she slept with a smile upon her face.

Ni-Fang slowly woke up eight hours later, the last thing she rememberd before going to sleep, or blacking out, was Hieden promising yet again to finish his tale. Which had ended so aruptly last time he told it to her. But then she found herself smiling, she was alone in her cabin, Looking directly her mirror at the dressing on her forehead as she removed it. He called me Snow Leopard. A pretty feline animal from Holy Terra no doubt, one of the prettier ones I think.

She removed the battle dressing, undamaged soft skin was under the dressing, with only some trails of blood, and also in her hair. marks of scarlet against the fair whiteness. Moving swiftly to her bath she cleaned herself, then changed into dry clothing, though she knew for a fact that Anath Twenty, a spaceport on a moon, had freak rain storms at many a time of the day. Better to start dry then wet. she mused. She exited her cabin and headed for the bridge. Cirir was waiting by her door. "Cirir? What is it?"

The raspy voice of the four legged mutant answered calmly. "stench of ork blood fills its nose, the ship spirit, she is scared. Running for her life." He said. Cirir always spoke of himself in the third person and never by his true gender, which was proven to be male.

"We have uninvited guests?" Ni-Fang said looking at him.

Cirir shook his head. "No, If such creatures were aboard it would have informed you of thus, yet it only smells such stench, and more, a passanger perhaps?" It was that comment that made Ni-Fang turn around and enter the bridge as the door slid open.

"I do not carry passangers" She said aloud, dark green eyes framed by startling clean white hair. Ni-Fang was angered slightly. "Even if they pay money enough to gain passage on my ship. I carry no passangers." She said, even Pretas looked at her in alarm. What was she on about? "Cirir, search the ship, every deck every hold every compartment, including my own, you know your limits of what to search within while searching the crew chambers, everything else you have reign to search freely, whatever or whoever you find, take them to my chambers."

The rasping voice of the four legged mutant replied, which made several of the crewmen on the bridge nervous. Including Hieden. "Aye, Captain." When anyone tutrned to look in the direction of the door to the bridge and companionway Cirir was gone. Ni-Fang was gripping the rail near the helm in a white knuckle grip, only instead of white knuckles, hers were blood red.

Her temper was then thinned as Hieden took the Spirit of Silence from warp and called out. "Anath system, everyone hold on, we're close to the port. We'll have to make this good."


	4. Chapter 4

Rogue Trader, Season One

Episode Four: Anath

(Part I)

Ni-Fang issued two orders, the first being to have the ship land somewhere on the moon unseen by anything, best to not have anyone try to steal it, and if at all possible for Pretas to remain unseen for as long as he could, the man nodded and manned his station, clearly looking slightly worried about something. The other order was Hieden to get the chainsword from the cabin for her, the emerald one.

Ten minutes later they were walking through Anath Twenty's city port area. Thankfully at the time not drawing much attention to themselves. "Linelle, lead the way." Ni-Fang said handing the Eldar woman the map that Pretas had drawn up, though it was a mix of languages, only one of which Ni-Fang could understand, along with Pretas, and also English, or rather a very bad form of it.

Linelle nodded and took the map leading the way to Suldons place, The Dawn's prow poking out of what appeared to be a dry dock that was rarely used, much less open and only used for the ship. Linelle stopped at the door to the main building in front of the dry dock. Ni-Fang looking directly at the ship "This is the place." She then stared slack jawed as Ni-Fang scaled the silvertine wall of the dockyard and headed for the ship unseen by anyone!

"She's mad" Linelle said. "Possessed."

"Ahy, that's our captain for sure Lass, let's talk to Suldon and let our Captain take the ship for now." Hieden replied. Motioning the way through the door as he opened it.

Suldon was within, a guff Eldar type of human man. One who had seen far too many days on a ship or a planet. One of the forge world born no doubt, he was scruffy looking with a unkempt beard, and a patch over an eye. And a pair of eyeglasses at that. "Who be you?" he asked gruffly.

"Suldon, looking the way you always have I see." Linelle said.

Suldon squinted, then went grumpy faster than a child draining a rum bottle. "Linelle, I should have known."

"Was our parting such sweet sorrow Suldon?" Linelle asked him.

"Our last meeting was nothing but purely business, one that kept me trying to sell a boat that nobody'll buy!" Suldon retorted. he looked at her then noticed Hieden. "By godfrey! Hammer Starfire!!" He said brightening up at sight of the man, he walked forwards and grabbed his hand, the two men laughed and hugged the other. "last I saw you, you was looking more the captain, tell me that is still the way things are."

"Not any more mate, First mate now to a young lass." Hieden replied.

"Young lass ey? Who might this lass be? I might know her." Apparently Suldon had gotten around, or too drunk lately.

"None other than Johens child herself" Hieden replied, making Suldon spit up his drink that heh ad grabbed from his desk.

"Ni-Fang, the little one of only.... ten and five summers on Holy Terra?" Suldon said.

"Aye, that's the lass, Twenty now, She's in need of a ship, Ahm her first mate, Linelles our navigator." At mention of Linelle Suldon nodded.

"I see, You need a ship, have you the money to pay for such an item?" He asked them both.

"That is why I am here Suldon, or did you not forget the favor you owe me?" Linelle said speaking up to be heard.

"I see, you want to take the ship that this man had captain only to get caught, you are a lucky one that the orks going about this area of space didn't take it off my hands, nobody'll buy it, they all think it's got some Xeno spell on it or something." Suldon said, then his eyes widened as a young woman entered the office, apparently Ni-Fang had returned from checking over the Red Dawn, her father's finest craft. "Alright Hammer, I'll make a deal with you then." Suldon said, "You take the Dawn off my lot, but what do I expect in return."

Hieden traded a look with Ni-Fang; "You know of the Kathian ore?"

"Aye, the ore that powers the Dawn, not many docks have it here on Anath Twenty." Suldon replied.

"Ni-Fang knows of a store of it on Anath Twenty that we'll repay ya for ye services to the Dawn. Keeping it here an all for us to pick up." Hieden replied, Ni-Fang just stared at him, they could not trade all of it on Anath Twenty, they still had to trade it to the Imerpium ship ports as well.

"You know when to strike a good bargain Hammer, Right then, deal it is. When do you plan on leaving?"

"As soon as I am within my father's ship." Ni-Fang said calmly before anyone else could speak.

"Right then, I'll have the Dawn made ready for travel and you should be on your way within the next day or so." Suldon started to say before Ni-Fang cut him off.

"Tonight, we eave tonight, no later then tonight, the longer we wait here the worse off we are, all of us." Ni-Fang said. Suldon looked at her confused, what was she going on about? He looked to Hieden.

"The orks are getting bolder than normal, roving the main trade lanes for merchants, even their armed vessels are useless against them, we came across a battle on the way here, nearly didn't make it through that in one piece."

"So its repairs ye need then?"

"Both." Said Ni-Fang and Hieden. Though they both knew it would take longer for either of them to get off that moon for a time being.

Of the crew that remained onboard the Spirit of Silence after it had landed, albeit in a way to get moving rather fast once more. Cirir went about the duty the captain had given him, his four feet scuttling him along smoothly as he went through each room. The skirt he was wearing making him look like some kind of odd looking man with four legs.

He looked through the upper levels then went through level thirteen of the Spirit, the scene of a unknown passenger was strong there, he scuttled along and opened a door, the scene of the unknown stronger than before, looking about in the dim light and making note of what was in the room he turned and left that area to check the trash compaction system area. Walking directly into the path of Pretas, the techpriest.

Pretas stepped back painfully, having run into Cirir by accident. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, his thoughts on the maturing Lucifer Black clone. Pretas frowned as he looked at Cirir. "Whoa. Sorry. Didn't see you."

Pretas made to pass Cirir. Cirir watched Pretas for a moment. He spoke to Pretas in a raspy voice. "Where are you off to?"

Pretas stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. He was nervous, but was able to mask his unease. "I was off to oversee the systems on this deck. They are going haywire again."

"I see....."

Pretas nodded and walked off. Cirir watched him go, then a few moments later, followed at a distance, his feet making no noise for Pretas to detect. He watched Pretas enter Cargo Bay 13 and followed, hiding behind one of the boxes. Pretas activated a light near the genetics lab and the stasis tube lit up, showing the clone as a young man inside. Pretas smiled slightly at the work. The man inside was a marvelous specimen of a human being. Perfect build, shape, and strength. Only thing that was unknown was if the mental was as sharp as the physical. He spoke quietly, but Cirir could hear him. "You are almost ready.....soon you will take your rightful place."

Unknown to Pretas only a single extra pair of ears heard what the techpriest said. So there is an unknown, but created onboard by the crew? was this Ni-Fangs order? Cirir wondered before turning and scuttling off, unheard by anything, including Pretas. He needed to find the captain on Anath. But considering the scope of the place he had no idea where to look first, only he need to not look far as his vox went off. "Cirir, power up the ship and take it to the following dock location, I will meet you there with supplies. Suldon is waiting for us to oversee repairs." Well that settled that.

Cirir activated his vox, "What of the rest of the crew? It found something."

"Tell me when you arrive, you have my order to move the ship to the docking area for repairs, where I will then meet you. Get to it, tell me of this new comer when you arrive." Cirir only nodded and headed for the bridge. A few minutes later Ni-Fang entered the ship in the docking lobby, Now she could also smell the unknown visitor.

Where is the Techpriest? She wondered going to the bridge, Cirir waited there. "Cirir, you spoke to me of another on the vox before you did as ordered. Who is this.... other? a stowaway?"

Cirir shook his head. "No captain." He said. "Created onboard, the stolen stasis tube was used to do it."

"A full person?, not individual organs?" She asked him.

"A young man or so it appears, the Techpriest was also in the room as well. He spoke of something being ready to take its place. Though of what the Techpriest meant it does not know." Cririr replied calmly.

"Where is Pretas now?" Ni-Fang asked replacing the power cell in her plasma pistola.

"Deck thirteen captain." Cirir rasped.

Wonderful, "I will speak to him on my own, alert the others that I am attending to personal matters if you will."

"Aye captain." Cirir said calmly. though he knew that Hieden didn't trust him, not many people trusted the four footed mutant from Mars itself. Then again he was a good dance instructor. He watched Ni-Fang leave the bridge, though she left her chainsword at the door.

Pretas smiled as he deactivated the stasis tube and drained the liquid that was preserving the clone. The tube slid open and the clone walked out naked. He walked up to Pretas and stood at attention. Pretas nodded.

"Welcome to the Spirit of Silence. I am Pretas, Gun master and Techpriest of this ship. I am also your superior officer. I had you created to be a bodyguard since I am in need of one. Your genetic coding has all of the memories needed to guide you in your tasks. You remember everything?"

The clone nodded.

"Yes sir!"

"Good. I shall name you Gera. It was my father's name. Your outfit is there on the table. I figure it would suffice you to be of the standard of the Lucifer Blacks, a now extinct regiment of elite warriors during the Unification Wars of Terra's long and bloody history. Get dressed."

Pretas walked to the computer terminal and started typing in some things. He was recording observations of the subject as Gera donned the black uniform. It was snug, fitting perfectly and it was as black as night. It was ominous to anyone that saw Gera in it. The subject was dark haired, like Pretas was. Indeed, Pretas used over 50% of his genetic makeup in Gera, adding various parts of the other crewmembers to make the clone unique. Pretas was smiling until the cargo door opened.

Ni-Fang opened the door to the cargo bay area for deck thirteen. "Pretas" she said calmly as she entered. "We need to talk, you and I" She said spotting the man near the stasis tube. he stared at her. She never noticed the other man. though she could smell him nearby. "What do you know of the unknown passenger we have onboard, when you know clearly that I do not carry such on my ship?"

Pretas didn't answer, he only stared, how did she know of his work? When she gave him that look he stuttered, but said nothing as Gera made his move and tackled Ni-Fang from behind. The only move Pretas made was a slap to his own face and dragging his hand down it, peeking out between the fingers to watch the fight take place.

Gah, what the?! Ni-Fang thought for a instant before she hit the ground with a gut wrenching crack. Twisting around she caught the man in black by the hip and flipped him off her. She drew her pistola and aimed it, the man halted looking to Pretas. "Pretas, tell me why I should not kill this man here and now, as he seems to look your way for orders does he not?" She now knew what was going on. "What in the name of Dread Chaos are you doing Techpriest? Creating humans, for what need?" She knew that if she even so much as lowered her weapon she would get attacked by the man in black once more.

Pretas stuttered for a moment, before he yelled.

"Gera, back off! At ease! She means not to kill me! Stand down and you will be spared!"

Gera stiffened, then obeyed. He stood at attention as Pretas looked toward Ni-Fang with resignation.

"I created him for protection. I do not know who to trust. You once told me to take whatever measures I felt were necessary to protect myself. I knew that no matter how good my Rosarius technology or my powers, I could easily be surprised and taken down by experienced soldiers. I was in the Imperial Guards, but I am no match for a Space Marine or a trained Sister of Battle assassin if they ambush me. So I created this man for this purpose. He isn't a Space Marine, but he is the next best thing. I created the perfect soldier. A Lucifer Black. Gera is the apex of the experiment I have been running with the stasis tube. He has been fully grown in 3 days and now is ready to live as a soldier and bodyguard. I have clothed him and he will be armed with weapons I provided him. Gera's responsibility is to oversee my safety, Captain. I ask for your forgiveness for the theft of the equipment. It was to be returned immediately, but I did not feel secure alone on this ship with a possible Sister of Battle on this ship."

Pretas voice turned bitter.

"Certainly the crew does not like me. Who likes a psyker after all? I am at best an expendable tool to be used, not seen as a human being by the rest of humanity. You merely think of me as a freak of nature, not to be trusted because I can control the Warp and use it to destroy, but that power makes me vulnerable to be turned by Chaos. Certainly that is why the Inquisition and Sisters of Battle hunt me relentlessly halfway across the galaxy. You have even seen some of what the crew call me. "Paranoid Pretas" is my nickname. They have no understanding of what I had to go through while being pursued. I had to be paranoid to survive. Paranoia isn't even accurate. Paranoid people imagine threats on their life. I have more threats on my life than most. Almost everyone either hates me or wants me dead."

Pretas shrugged.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Gera is innocent of any wrongdoing. He merely protected me as he saw fit. Don't shoot the clone for following instincts and orders. Tell her why you attacked her. What is your duty?"

Gera nodded as he stood at attention.

"I will. My duty is to protect Pretas to the best of my ability. If anyone threatens him, I will kill them. Such is my responsibility and my duty. I was merely defending him when I attacked you.....Captain."

Very well, if that is how he wants it. She got to her feet, "Pretas, you are worried for your life so you created one to watch over you at all times. Though I did say that as part of my crew you need not worry, my actions on your behalf should prove to be of worth to you." She threw a look towards the man in black. "I am not exactly happy about such things, yet if he proves he has skill aboard the Spirit as part of the crew, then he may remain onboard, until I am proved he is able enough to serve under my leadership."

Cirir arrived. "Captain, a hail has been given to us, requesting you at Suldons office building by First Mate Hieldenhammer." He said. The mere sight of the man to Gera slightly unnerved the man in black, four legs, two left feet, and two right feet, how the hell does he buy shoes? It didn't matter, Cirirs attention was focused on Ni-Fang of everyone in the room.

"Very well, I am sure that a deal has been reached between Suldon and Linelle, she did say he owed her a favor of some kind." Ni-Fang said giving a dark look towards Gera, but saying nothing towards him as she spoke to Pretas, "Remain out of sight of the repair crews to come aboard. The engines took damage during a recent battle." She gave another look towards Gera before leaving in a huff. Moving swiftly towards the docking ring and back to Suldons office.

Pretas shook his head as he grabbed the weapon that he made for Gera. He handed it to Gera.

"This is a custom built weapon I made. It is primarily a bolter with a lasgun attachment. You can also interchange the lasgun attachment with a plasma one and it will function as well. The thing about this weapon is that it is modular. You can custom built it anyway you like. It has a scope and a laser dot sight. Just point and shoot. I have a similar weapon, but I prefer the plasma attachment rather than the lasgun. Plasma does more damage and can kill a space marine with a well placed shot to the chest or head. You will also be given a laspistol and a power blade. The laspistol is standard issue, the power blade is unique. It is not a two handed weapon. It works much like the sabers of the old Lucifer Blacks, except theirs was not power blades. Your blade will go right through whatever you want it to besides another power blade. No armor will stop it, none I know of that is. You know how to use the armored battle suit I have given you. Any questions?"

Gera shook his head.

"Good. I want you to accompany me to the bridge. You will be security escort and advisor on military affairs for this ship. Remember Ni-Fang is captain and the fact she can overrule my orders. That is all."

Gera smiled.

"Yes sir. I will protect you to the best of my ability."

Anath Twenty, the twentieth moon orbiting the gas giant of Anath, pretty much a trading port to be had, but more so, a place were pretty much all walks of life conjurn together for a talk, a fight, or just anything that the Empire sees as a bad idea. Which is one of the reasons the Sisters of Battle, along with the renegade group Sisters of Luna, have a headquarters location there.

However the Sisters of Luna are more into magic, things frowned upon by the Imerpium, and many of the Sisters of Luna have been taken prisoner for practicing magic openly. But now a day's things have changed slightly. At least with word of several Ork ships and also some Chaos Marauders.

Anath Twenty is a barren rock, nothing much to speak of, and had started with a single spaceport, but over time that single small spaceport grew to cover the surface of the moon, and also have its own atmosphere as well. Not everyone agreed on how one place should look, so it was divided into districts, the most popular district for thieves and other whatnots, is the shipyard district and also the government district.

But then that begs the question; what would thieves and wrong doers need a government for? Simple, even a thieves guild or the like needs some type of control over the politics of the guild. And many guilds gather together to work out treaties, maybe disband a guild for going back on ones word. Or work with the Imerpium in searching for a certain person or the like.

One of the most notable buildings and places to visit at Anath Twenty providing you are a resident or a visitor that has good strength in arms and willpower, is the Mages School. Situated atop what should be the tallest mountain on Anath Twenty, the Mages School is also home of the dockyards, and also Suldons

"So Linelle remind me of your part in this." The merchant said slightly amused.

"My reading came true did it not?"

"Yes indeed, two healthy girls and a boy, though Marita had some explaining to do, there has not been multiple births on Twenty for generations, let alone triplets!" He laughed heartily. "It's such a pity you could not have waited the nine months to see your vision come to fruit."

"Well Hammer's rough fists had other ideas, that and his gambling, we barely made it out of here as you recall."

"Aye I do, well I agreed five million credits if your reading came true, that and interest, tell young Ni-Fang, the repairs are on me, and only a quarter of the ore promised, gods know you will be needing it for two ships."

Linelle clasped Suldons hand warmly. "Deal" Then headed for the door where Hammer was standing looking at the prow of the Dawn.

"Ah, it will be good te see her aloft again, even if Ni-Fang does not wish me for Captain of her."

"She will Star, eventually she will, she does not yet know her father bio linked it to you. Oh yes she can fly her from 'a' to 'b', but the Dawn will not obey any battle commands from anyone but you unless she can force you to transfer the bio, which she knows is extremely dangerous."

"Sounds like blackmail lass."

"Hmm, might be seen that way."

The two of them waited a while, discussing past events, and just enjoying the time alone. An hour later Ni-Fang joined them.

"All is well aboard the Spirit lass?" Hieden asked.

"Yes and no, Linelle, take my skimmer and head back, I need you to keep an eye on Pretas, there is something about him that makes me a little suspicious."

"Aye captain." Linelle replied, she jumped on the skimmer and was gone in a cloud of dust.

When she was gone, Ni-Fang turned to her old mentor. "Hammer why didn't you tell me about the Dawn?"

"Such as, there were things ye never asked lass." He wondered if she knew about the bio link.

"She is not a Lunar class ship at all. It is nothing of any design in the registries, and so small, barely five hundred meters from stem to stern."

"Lass , how long does it take for you to turn the Spirit in a battle turn? The Dawn was built for one thing, high speed battle maneuverability and be able to out distance herself from an enemy before they could strike back. Your father and I pulled the specs from and old Holy Terra file, and though the basic design is millennia old, she is all power, made to kill...do you wish for more?"

"No, but...."

"No buts lass, and don't bite ye lip, ah thought ye had grown out of that."

"Very well then. Is she ours now?"

"Oh yes lass that and more, you only need give Suldon a quarter of the ore now, he is most pleased with the deal, and th' repairs are on him as well. We'll be away come midday tomorra." He smiled broadly and Ni-Fang hugged him.

"Thank you Uncle." She kissed him lightly. "Ugh, you need a shave."

Ni-Fang smiled as Hieden went red faced at the mention of needing a shave, not that it mattered much if at all to her. She looked briefly towards the office door of Suldon, before saying. "Well, we have us a day to kill when instead I would rather be away from Anath before the Orks arrive, this appears to not be the case, therefore we have time to kill, and I am in need of food as well." She said leaving the office into what appeared to be a hallway. Various doors had been set in the hall in case of breach in breathable air, however long since becoming a city moon of sorts the problem was done with and mostly used to kill unwanted fires.

The pair shortly found a cafe of sorts, a diner type place no doubt. Ni-Fang and Hieden were directed to a table where they sat down and order a pair of meals. Ni-Fang seemed oddly quiet. "Is something on ye mind lass?" Hieden asked her.

"I spoke to father." Ni-Fang said quietly. She looked to Hieden. "I mentioned the Dawn to him, he asked me if the tales of it still being in one piece were true, I said yes, I had been aboard it. He asked if we could bring it to Holy Terra for him, and in exchange he would let me pick my crew for both it and the Spirit. I mentioned you. but not as uncle Hammer, but as Hieden. To temporarily command the Dawn until we reach Holy Terra. Father agreed."

"That is good." Hieden said as their drinks arrived. "Did you happen to mention anything else to him? like that battle you led us into?"

"No, I only mentioned that we came across a trader who had taken the Dawn to his merchant company docks, not used it since it was brought there out of fear or being seen as a unregistered craft. I asked father about the design, he said it was a design the captain for it had come across before he disappeared with it." Ni-Fang replied. "He wants you to be commanding officer of the ship until we reach Holy Terra, after which father will assign someone else. unless I choose to add it to my personal fleet of merchant ships under MerTelCom."

"And what would your da say to that, lass?"

"It is my choice, therefore, my concern." Ni-Fang said.

"And Pretas? "

"Is not exactly who we thought he was, he is a psyker, alpha plus. Between us both however he knows nothing of what he does, only of the outcome. And can't remember why he creates such items. he created himself a bodyguard out of fear, I gave him grace to do what he must to ensure the safety of himself and the ship's crew. However Cirir does not seem so sure." Ni-Fang said.

"I wouldn't blame him, after all he's got a good head on his shoulders" Hieden smirked.

"Not to mention a good sense of smell. and a lack of knowing his own gender and persona, but he knows engines." Ni-Fang replied. "he created a Lucifer Black clone to do his duty as bodyguard to Pretas. I do not see then need of why he did thus, but he grew the being within two days of the stasis pod going missing. In hold seven of deck thirteen on the Spirit."

"He must know what he's doing to create such things. you say it's a Lucifer Black?" Hieden said.

"Yes. Pretas is scared for his life, he fears that Galayxa, our TechMedic, is truly a Sister of Battle operative, however I have other plans regarding the sisters." Ni-Fang said, "Speak of the devil" she hissed seeing a pair of the Sisters f Battle enter the cafe and sit nearby. "I think we may have us some troubles."

"Aye, lass, that we may. Best we focus on one thing at a time. The deal is set the ship is returned, and repairs are underway and we should be moving along without too much troubles. Though you have me wondering, who do you have for helmsman on the ship?" Hieden said as their food arrived and they began eating.

"Right now I will have Pretas take your place as we will have two ships instead of just one, I'm a merchant, not a warlord." Ni-Fang said calmly digging into her raw meat meal. Some type of deer like creature from Holy Terra. Hieden only smiled and dug into his own meal, trying to not think of why his captain did not eat cooked meat very much. Not knowing of what was to transpire while they ate.

Pretas breathed in and walked to the bridge, with Gera escorting him. Gera was wary of all threats, his eyes and suit sensors scanning anyone in range of being able to hurt Pretas. He had shouldered his weapon, but he could easily swing it to his shoulder in a second, such was the training inbred in his genetic coding. Pretas felt much safer with the Lucifer Black around as a bodyguard. Pretas entered the bridge and started to man the controls. The rest of the bridge crew eyed the new crewman. Gera didn't acknowledge them much as he stood beside Pretas watching everyone suspiciously.

Linelle reached the Spirit in less than an hour, but in that time she noticed an armed black skimmer following her some distance away. Trouble, she thought She parked the skimmer in the number two docking bay and voxed Pretas, warring him of possible company, Pretas's first instinct was that the Sisters had found him and quickly joined Linelle in the bay, the hulking Gera just behind him.

"Where's Galayxa?" Linelle asked him bluntly.

"She's sorting supplies in medbay, best we leave her there."

"Agreed." Linelle scanned the deep canyon, moments later the heavy skimmer came into view.

"Crap! Sisters, they've found me, now what will I do, there's nowhere for me to run now."

"How well can your guardian fare against them?"

"Oh he'll probably bring two or three down before they take him apart." He replied bleakly.

"Good enough, give him the commands to follow me, and get yourself out of sight. See if you can raise the Captain and Hieden, we may need to leave sooner than later, repairs or no."

Pretas followed the order, as Navigator, Linelle was third in the chain of command. He disappeared within the Spirit and sought a vantage point. He watched as the half-eldar grabbed a breathing unit and fitted it quickly, Gera doing the same. The two of them walked calmly out to meet the oncoming guests.

The heavy skimmer halted on seeing the tall woman and Black Lucifer barring their advance. One armoured Sister rose from the cockpit and called out to Linelle.

"Stand aside whoever you might be, we seek a deserter and condemned psyker, we believe is aboard your vessel."

"And what if he is Sister, do wish to capture or kill him?"

"That is obvious woman, you should know his fate." Came the reply.

"Hah, well then, it seems you may have to try and wrest him through me, if you dare, he is under my protection."

"Your protection? Then you have condemned yourself as well. We are six, stand aside and you and your beast will be spared. Unless you have more hidden, you best let us be at our duty."

"No, I don't think so." Linelle, flipped the Nine medallion from her jacket for them to see. At a silent command, Gera armed himself, Linelle's twin swords flashed into her hands.

The Sister's commander did not hesitate, she ordered the others to disembark and they stood arrayed in a line ten meters opposite Linelle and Gera. "Take them down." The leader ordered.''

Pretas watched in dismay the unfolding drama from his hidden position, he wished there was something he could do, but could not think of anything...he feared how this would go down.

"Take the centre two." Linelle ordered Gera, which he complied by making a perfect head shot on the first, severing an arm on the second. But it only took that time for the Sisters to close on their adversary's.

Chain swords flew, and hacked but found no mark except damaging Gera's armour somewhat, one sister he bodily picked up and threw against some nearby rock, breaking her back. Linelle finished the others in a blur of movement Pretas could not follow, one minute he feared for his life, next he could only see six bodies laying in the path of the canyon. He voxed Linelle. "I owe you."

"Indeed you do." She replied softly.

Pretas was at a loss for words. It was a moment before he spoke.

"Perhaps we had more in common than we thought, half Eldar. There is honor within you after all. Perhaps I can buy you a drink later, it is after all the least I can do. You had no need to protect me, you could have handed me over to the Sisters and be 10 million dollars richer."

Pretas sighed. Maybe there was a person on this ship he could trust fully besides Ni Fang. There was footsteps as Gera approached.

"All enemy units dispatched, sir. Orders?"

Pretas looked at Gera. He pointed to the damaged armor.

"Report to the armory in 2 hours. I will fix your damaged armor. Well done, Gera."

"Thank you, sir. It was an honor and a pleasure to serve. These......sisters of battle....they are quite formidable. I would very much like to face them again."

Pretas looked at Gera and smiled slightly.

"I think you will more than likely. The Sisters want my head because I am a psyker. An Alpha plus."

Gera nodded.

"I see. Well nothing like a good challenge to keep a man busy. Thank you for the opportunity. I will enjoy this very much."

Gera seemed not put off by a psyker. On the contrary, Gera seemed to enjoy the idea of protecting against terrible odds.

The meal was about over when it started to get rough. Ni-fang stood to leave for but a moment to take care of something of personal matters, leaving Hieden at the table alone watching everything. It wasn't a full minute before she returned, a blood stained sword in one hand. The two women seated at the nearby table noticed the blade and stood up as one. "You! Give us the Psyker!" One of them said as the other ran for Ni-Fang, who went into a battle stance, the blade held over her head as the other woman ran at her, her own blade drawn and swinging.

The two women clashed with a spark of metal. The two of them danced, Several people eating there moved out of their way as they clashed, many trying to avoid the sparks that exploded from the pair of blades. Ni-Fang noticed Hieden still seated at their table. "I think you could be of help?" She called to him.

"I got no part in this" he said with a smile on his face watching his captain fight with the two women, he was going to take part, he knew that, after all let the lass duke it out a bit first, the smile shortly faded as several more Sisters of Battle arrived through the door. Within heartbeats Ni-Fang was trading strikes and parries with several other women at once. Soon she had a pair of blades in her hands and was fighting like a daemon.

Hieden took up a stance, then got into thinking that maybe it would be more help if there was a fully fledged barfight going on. So with that thought he flipped a spoon in to the air and knocked a man over with his own ale mug, ducking the strike the angered drinker aimed for him the drunk hit another man, thus starting off a full fledge barfight

Ni-Fang was in the center of it all, Well, she was in the center of it all, a moment passed before she found herself ganged up by several drunks, diving out of their path she found Hiden by the counter. "Time to go." She said sliding both swords into the belt she had stolen of the dead woman in the bathroom.

"Aye" Hieden replied, they had to make the hard way out, through a window most likely. Heading upstairs they headed through a mass of people fighting, somehow but stroke of luck or otherwise the thrown items missed them at every direction they went through. Finally they were out and heading back for the Spirit.

But they were being watched, and not by a Sister of Battle either. But by another man entirely. The man followed at a distance, making clear to keep the white haired lady in sight at all times.

Pretas and Gera walked along. Pretas spotted Hieronyma and frowned. Did she call in reinforcements to try to take him out? He wasn't sure, but it paid to be suspicious.

Hieronyma was walking into the infirmary, looking stressed out. She didn't like being so close to the Sisters of Battle, or any legion or military for that matter, and it was making her nervous.

Pretas smirked slightly. He figured she was distressed that the assault failed. "Stressed about the Sisters failing to board?"

Hieronyma looked at Pretas, confused, and flinched at the stinging comment. She glanced at Gera curiously, wondering who the heck he was, but shook it off and walked into the medical bay calmly, not wanting to get into a fight.

Pretas nodded to Gera. "I believe she is an operative working for the Sisters of Battle. I want you to watch her, see what she does and report to me."

Gera nodded in acceptance. "It will be done."

Ni-Fang and Hieden headed for the docks where the Spirit was located for repairs. Apparently a notice went out from the Mages School, and the Sisters of Battle for everyone to be on lookout for the alpha plus psyker, but she ignored all counts of asking if she had seen the man. She didn't care if he had murdered the God Emperors right hand man. Pretas was her Techpriest. and he was going to stay her techpriest for all she cared!

They neared the dock area, and upon nearing the gangplank to board the Spirit, which was being resupplied overseen by Cirir. Ni-Fang heard a voice. Turning around she noticed a man looking rather regal in appearance. "I don't take passengers." Was all she said turning to board her ship when the man spoke again.

"I am looking for Ni-Fang, daughter of merchants." He replied to her.

Ni-Fang stopped in her tracks, one foot on the gangplank. "I'm flattered, but my word is law on my ship, no passengers."

"It concerns a private deal between her and Count Duvat." The man said

"Jones..." She turned around and spoke to Hieden, "Hide every bolter you see." She turned back to the man, as Hieden went into the ship. "A job? And who might I ask, would benefit from it? What are the stakes, cargo and extra crewmen if they are needed?"

"No extra crew, the item in question however Jones wants transported from Anath four to Holy Terra fast as possible, seeing that your ship is taking on supplies he chose you." The man handed her a picture of something, a key of some sort. oddest looking thing she had ever seen.

"And where is Jones now?" Ni-Fang asked handing the paper back. "He is on Holy Terra no doubt."

"No, he is at Port Wander. You left there before anything could be asked of you." the man replied.

"Well it is simple, complications arose, ensued, were overcome." Ni-Fang said with a smirk on her face.

"So you saw fit to flee Port Wander rather than take on supplies." The man pressed.

Ni-Fang got serious, her tone icy. "You have delayed me too long." She said snatching the cloth item of the key away from the man. "I suggest you consider me hired, tell Jones that I expect fair compensation for doing this job, my price...." she headed up the gangplank. her mindvoice echoing in the man's head. "_Has tripled._"

Ni-Fang had some things to sought out, now that she had the Dawn and Spirit, but only a very small crew, there was no alternative but to seek extra hands at Anath four. Both ships could be piloted with minimal positions filled but not for long. She did in a way assure Pretas he might have commanded the Dawn, now she was not sure. Only Linelle could tell her, she had come to rely more and more on the half eldar for guidance, since Hieden became more absorbed in actually running the Spirit.

She stuffed the information about the pickup in her pocket and headed up through the decks, she caught a glimpse of Pretas and his 'protector' heading toward engineering, she would speak with him soon. On the bridge she found Linelle and Galayxa in deep conversation, the TechMedic was applying a balm to a wound Linelle had received in her confrontation with the Sisters.

"Nothing serious?" She asked

"No just a graze, I got careless." Linelle replied.

"Humph, that Pretas and his Gera, you would think that monster did it all alone the way he's been boasting and preening around, I watched from the bridge Captain, Linelle was a blur, I could not even follow her actions, she had three down before Gera had barely moved." Hieronyma paused a moment an innocent smile crossed her face. "Well not quite ma'am, but you get my drift. There all done Linelle, I must go and see to med supplies, with your leave Captain?"

"Off course Hieronyma, go on." Ni-Fang watched the raven haired woman disappear down the companionway and turned to Linelle.

"We have a job, and both ships will be required, but the problem is crewing. I know we can run the Spirit for short distances with only myself and one other, but what of the Dawn, I was thinking of Pretas and perhaps yourself, I know she is almost fully automatic, but she does need inputs of course."

"If I may Captain, I would advise against anyone other than Hammer commanding the Dawn, yes you could fly her from here to there, but that's all, no weapons, very few sensors and no coms."

"What? Linelle are you joking, what is wrong with it, some flaw I do not know of?"

"Yes in a way Captain, your father in his wisdom made the Dawn a biocynth. Linked to her Captain for most of her abilities, at the present only Hieden can fully command her, unless he himself transfers the link to you or me, or he dies, the link will automatically go to me. Johen was adamant about that, as you were only a baby at the time."

"Frek! My bloody father, it seems he is always making things a trial for me."

"Lessons in life Captain, my father made sure every day for me was a long road. Parents do this so we grow strong and they will not lay awake worrying about us. Now how shall we sort this problem out?"

"Well, there is no alternative, Hieden will have to take the Dawn, as he's there already overseeing the refueling, but I want you here with me, do you think he can handle Pretas?"

"If anyone can, he can. There is a lot about your 'uncle' you don't know." She smiled broadly.

Ni-Fang reached out and touched Linelle's face and said thank you, but held her hand there for a moment, then placed her other hand on the opposite cheek and drew the half eldar in.

"You are with child my friend, now I must issue you a new command. You are to lay the bridal wreath at Hammer's feet before the next thirty days turns, I will not have a fatherless child on my ships, do you understand?"

Linelle went pale, she couldn't stand children, they were all brats to her, and now she was to be a mother? She did not doubt Ni-Fang, the daemon within the young woman gave her unusual senses. Bloody Hammer, well he will have to make her an honest woman after all.

Ni-Fang smiled, a child was soon to be born, she knew for a fact that Hieden would either faint, or go berserk, but she hoped the former. She headed for Pretas chambers. Upon entering she noticed that Gera was present next to the door. "Great" She said to him, noting his place. the man only nodded in response, mouthing the word 'Madam'. "Is Pretas here?" He nodded and pointed towards the darker area of the chamber, Pretas was bent over one of the plasma turrents replacing a few burned wires.

Not looking up he spoke. "Is something wrong Captain?" he said.

"No" She replied, Pretas continued working. "However there is need of a first mate for the Dawn until we get to Anath Four."

Pretas stopped working, looking up at her. "And you want me for the job?"

"Hieden will act as commander of the ship until we get to Holy terra, I have a meeting with the Emperor about a personal matter that is between us both. Once we get to Anath Four and take on a crew for the Dawn, Hieden will be back with us here on the Spirit, I want you and Gera to act as first mate on the Dawn until we reach Holy Terra." She looked at him hard. "Can you do that?"

Pretas said nothing for a few seconds, then he nodded. "Yes. We do I leave?"

"As soon as the Spirit has stocked her supplies, you are to report to Hieden on the bridge of the Dawn. He will give you your tasks from there. " She told him then she left his cabin to let him think.


	5. Chapter 5

Rogue Trader; season one  
Episode Five; Red Dawn

The Dawn had been created for a reason, but what that reason was Ni-Fang had no idea as of yet, all she knew of it that it was her fathers best and fastest ship in the MerTelCom Fleet, but why it looked so much like something out of a Holy Terra file of a goose she didn't know nor understand. At least it flies. She thought watching the supplies be loaded onto the other ship. She had to inform Hieden who was to fly it, and who was to be first mate until the crew could be picked up.

She stood on the bridge of the Spirit watching supplies be loaded onto both ships as Hieden arrived, no doubt Linelle right behind him sooner or later. "Hieden, tell me truthfully, what can the Dawn do? Father said something of the craft being faster then anything the MerTelCom Fleet could ever provide. Is that true?"

"Aye, that it is, its faster, easier to handle, and also smaller."

"And ugly looking too"

"Well now, just because it looks like ah longneck bird does not mean it is ah ugly craft, every ship on the fleet looks the same yet ye chose the Spirit, ye never told anyone of why." Hieden remarked.

"I see then, a information trade off is it?" Hieden smirked, he was a cheeky one. "I chose the Spirit because it fit my personal needs of a ship capible of many things, one of those doing two things at once, being a merchant, and also something more."

"Smuggler? is my little Snow Leopard doing bad things out on the warp?"

"No, not until now" She took out the piece of canvas and handed it to Hieden, the three pronged key was seen clearly on it, as if burned. "This is on Anath Four, when you get the crew for the Dawn, I want you to link up with the Spirit, then we'll return to Holy Terra, Jones wants something that is at Holy Terra, but of what I am not sure."

"So ye want to try to find ah item this key unlocks?"

"We need the key first, locate the key, then the item it unlocks, and we have what is within the item unlocked by the key. If Jones follows his end of the deal we get out of the deal with triple the payment to be expected, and also whatever we find to sell as we like." Ni-Fang smiled. "And problems?"

"None, though Ah can't exactly see why ye'd be so worried of the Dawn, lass."

"My concern for the Dawn is more for your safety, and that of two others." Ni-Fang said, not saying who those two others were... yet

***

Pretas took a skimmer over the short distance to the Dawn, Gera rode shotgun of course, the nervous TechPriest, had his eyes everywhere, "You find one Sister, there's a dozen more!" He told Gera, his guardian just grunted in acknowledgement. He knew Hieden was there already, seein Ni-Fang speak to him not fifteen minutes ago, and watched the big man leave.

He reached the Dawn safely though and was just putting the skimmer down in what seemed to be an over large cargo bay, but not one he'd ever seen before, there was technology here that he and never encountered, some of it looking a lot like that found in diggings on Holy Terra. He stepped down and was taken completely by surprise by the female voice that rang throughout the bay.

"Warning, intruder alert, hanger 2, warning, action pending."

Then heard a deep laughter as he spun around to see Hieden standing not far away in between two small one man craft, that Pretas could only guess as some kind of attack craft, he counted twelve in all.

"Welcome to the Dawn young Pretas, an of course Gera. Ye'll be a wondering aboot the voice, that's Dawn, she is the living heart of the ship, and will watch over us and obey our commands. That is once ah've had ye plugged into th' system so she knows ye."

"Er ah, plugged in?" Pretas did not like the sound of that, being attached to a machine.

"Hah,ha, simple procedure laddie. Up to medlab and you two will be part of the system in no time. Follow me, Dawn, close all hatches and seal the bays please dear."

"As you wish Captain." Came the electronic reply.

Hieden led Pretas and Gera to a elevator, they went up maybe five decks, Pretas wasn't sure. On stepping out, they traversered a long companionway until they reached a sealed door, Hieden placed his hand on a bio sensor and the medlab was revealed. Clean, white, with everything a MedTech could wish for, _"Galaxya would have a fit if she saw this."_ Pretas thought to himself. Then checked his mind, _"Now why did I think of her, I don't even trust her."_

Hieden took a small sample of blood from both, a simple painless pin prick of a finger. He ran the samples through a console, activated several functions and turned to them.

"That's it lads, yer both done, now she knows who ye are. Ye can give her commands pertainin' to ye duties, but dinna nae try anything stupid, she will still only respond te me for major inputs. Pretas you will have the steerage controls and gunnery. Gera engineering and intruder defence, have ye got that lads?"

Pretas was somewhat confused, but complied. Gera wondered about intruder defence.

"I am only one, is there more that I should know captain?"

"Aye Gera, Dawn has thirty two robot sentries at your command, each one has a onboard heavy calibre bolter with six hundred rounds, I think that should suffice don ye think lad?"

"Yes indeed Captain." Gera smiled.

Ni-Fang watched as the Dawn lifted off from its berth at the dockyard. It was tiny in compairson to the Spirit, yet could easliy fit within the hangar within the Spirit. If Ni-Fang had thought of same she would have ordered it moved to within her hangar. But instead she thought it better to head for earth. Now was not the time to get lost in such thoughts. With a motion of her hand she had Linell head them for Anath Four. the largest and moon closest to the gas giant of Anath. Her mind pondering over the job at hand.

Jones is after something with this key, but is afraid to get it himself, so he sends for me to get it, and is willing to pay my price to do such. Of Why? Ni-Fang wondered to herself before speaking to Linelle. "Head us to Anath Four at two thirds speed. the Dawn will stay with us in terms of speed to the city on the moon."

"You did not tell him?" Linelle was unsure of how to talk to Hieden about being a mother, she hated kids, considered them brats at best.

"Not yet. You will do as I said. Lay the Bridal Wreath at his feet before the thirty days pass." Ni-Fang replied.

"I do not think I will be a good mother, even for a warp born child." Linelle said softly, yet Ni-fang heard her clearly.

"You will make a good mother Linelle, just like my Mother was to me, so you too, will be to your child, be it a male, or a female. How am I to know?" Ni-Fang said, she smiled. "I will not have a fatherless child aboard my ship, you know this. And I know you will follow that. Just like I do not allow passangers aboard due to secrets getting out to the public. I do not want to tarnish my fathers work."

"I can understand that" Linelle replied, "Only, I do n ot think..."

"Do not worry about it now, the only thing you are to worry about at this time is getting us to Holy Terra. I have something to share with the Emperor himself concerning this matter" Ni-Fang said.

"The God-Emperor of mankind? He does not speak, he is a shattered husk, surely you can't..."

"We have spoken before, I can speak to him again. We will stop in orbit of Anath Four for Hieden to take on crew for the Dawn, while we do that I will seek out this key." She had told Linelle about it as well, but none else... yet

Hieronyma walked onto the bridge, a scanner in hand. She gave a tiny nod to Ni-Fang and Linelle when both women looked her way, Ni-Fang nodded and jerked her head towards Linelle, Hieronyma then walked over to them. "Linelle," she said in her tiny voice. "Ni-Fang has told me you are pregnant."

Linelle nodded, a bit of an uncertain look in her eyes. But it quickly vanished. "Yes, I am."

"I would like to verify the pregnancy, if you don't mind," Hieronyma asked timidly. "Just to see for myself."

When Linelle nodded, Hieronyma took the scanner she had in her hand and held it about a foot away from Linelle's stomach. After a minute, she looked at the results. She nodded. "It's confirmed, you are pregnant. One or two weeks along." She put the scanner back in her bag. "Hard to tell, this early."

"I suspected as much," Linelle said with a nod.

Hieronyma nodded to her, then looked questioningly towards Ni-Fang. "Where are we headed?"

"To Anath Four, the Money makers Moon, we have cargo to pick up, and crew to hire for the Dawn, then we make for Holy Terra," Ni-Fang replied stepped away from the helm deck stepping towards Linelle, "It appears your chances of laying the wrathe at Hiedens feet has shorted by ten and two." She said simply. She nodded to Galayxa before leabing the Bridge. With the following order, "I will meet you at the docking ring lobby, I will get the cargo.... alone"

Ten minutes later the Spirit of Silence docked with Anath Four, when the two women arrived at the docking lobby they noticed Ni-Fang, dressed in what appeared to be clothing of Holy Terra orgin. Dark purple, light pink, and silky. Was she planning something. Possibly, as she spoke to to both women. "Stay out of danger, avoid any money making risks, such as accepting a deal, when offered a deal, do not reply to them, they have rcording system that will take your voice print, and they will find you again using it. Until then stay out of dnage, there is a new life at stake to remain clear of danager, until you lay the wrathe at Hiedens feet, keep safe" With those words she left the Spirit of Silence int ohe city of Anath Four.

**

Pretas went to his controls, making sure that everything was in order. This ship's controls were.....efficient. It felt alien, but familiar as Pretas ran his hand over the controls. He was not sure what it was, but the technology just felt familiar with him. He shrugged it off and typed in various control functions, monitoring sensors and navigational controls. He didn't know what was on Anath, but he would soon find out. Gera stood beside him, watchful of the other crew members and making sure security was in place on board the ship. Gera liked the new anti-personnel bots. They had perfect sets of scanners, good armaments, and they were fast and armored. Boarders would have a hard time fighting them off.

"So Captain, we're to enlist some new crew eh, do we have free reign or is Captain Ni-Fang overseeing that as well?" Pretas enquired of Hieden.

"No, she left it up to me. How are ye doing with the Dawn's tech so far?"

"A bit strange, almost alien in some respects, but familar in some ways as well. It seems she is like something from our deep past. The small vessels in the hangar bay, what are they and why did the Laraxans leave them aboard. Come to think of it, how did they manage to board and take you captive, with the sentry bots in place?"

"I stood them doon, I let them take me. It was the fleets best chance, I knew they would use the two destroyers to escort the Dawn back to their homeworld, and they needed me te' command her. And the little craft are what are described in the files we found as fighters, single seat little devils that can cause a lot o pain for ye enemy, they name em Pythons. They did not find em' because Dawn hid them, she has a vast store of halograhpic images in her self defence system library, that can make the unwanted see what she wants em te' see." Hieden looked as if he was boasting about his own child, proud as can be.

"Hmm I see. So...ah, sir...what is this beeping...wait..oh it's a long range scanner, two large vessels approaching Anath four, from behind Anath's horizon."

"Let me see laddie.....frek!!!! Bloody Laraxans, deep cruisers, they could be only after one thing."

"The Dawn?"

"No, me. Dawn check your sustems, check every inch of your hull and frame, look for any Laraxan tech." Hieden commanded the ships control.

"Checking now." Came the sweet feminine voice. "Captain I have three Laraxan sensors attached, they only came online now, so they have been doramnt for a very long time. One on my outer hull near the main targeting array, one in the sewerage vent port aft, and one inside the number two hangar bay closure. I'm sorry Captain for not seeing them sooner, shall we engage or run?"

"Neither Dawn, an it's nae yer fault. We get these devices and scatter them, ah'll need te take them off Anath four in one o' the Pythons, and jettison them near the crest of Anath's outer atmosphere, with luck, the Laraxan's will think it's us and give us time te' get away."

"Surely Captain, the Dawn can take two Laraxan cruisers, you did before."

"Aye laddie I did, but if we attacked them here, they'd waste not a day and send half their bloody fleet here looking fer us, and Anath four would be just target practice."

The two long warships moved slower then expected. Apparently they were docked with each other, and headed for the space dock area of Anath Fours only city. Wandering throug some of the streets, letrting her senses lead the way, Ni-Fang heard smatterings of Laraxan ships inbound for merchant trading. Or other matters. Entering an old monostary type of building, long abandoned, dust and webfilled, Ni-Fang lit a torch and moved through the dark building. She remembered what was said to her by Jones messanger.

"Look for the box with the white lightning strike mark, it will be seen by the glow of a red crest, three pieces of eight, three pieces of wood, three pieces of green, Nine in all, nine points in the sky, broken barriers fill wounds, while awry stirs trouble." The man said nothing more before leaving, and Ni-Fang would never see the man again.

She found the red crest, but not a crest she was familar with, one she had never seen before, yet felt as if she knew it. Feeling along the wall she felt a hollow, tracing her fingers to mark the space, she hauled back and swung her fist, breaking the plaster in a single hard smack. As the plaster fell away she reached in and removed a cloth wrapped item. Opening it, there was the key she was sent to find. Now to get it to Holy Terra.

Something clattered, and voices were heard. Ni-Fang stopped moving ot listen, her hands dropping the cloth marking of the key, and hiding the key on her sword belt, taking up the emerald chainsword she ducked from the room and hid near a hole in the ceiling. "Its around here somehere! Go find it, spliut up into pairs, find anyone, question them then kill them, no witnesses! Find that key!" A gruff voice called out

"But boss, some of the locals said they'd seen a woman come in here" one man said obvisouly a younglng.

"Shut up!" A loud WHACK was heard as the man was hit by ther one in charge. "We find the key, and iif the locals are correct, the woman most likley has it first, so, find her, find the key, that key answers all our troubles, get moving!" Smatterings of answers as "right boss," "on it boss" "want a refill for that jeve Boss?" were heard as Ni-Fang climbed silent as a cat into the floor above through a hole in the ceiling. This was not the time to fight. But she'd do so if the ned arose.

Ni-Fang waited in the shadows until the last man was inside, she had heard those grating accents before somewhere, _"Laraxans, what in hells name are they doing here?"_ She asked herself. With all the stealth and cunning that was her mettle, she slipped passed them unseen until she got to the entrance, they left one guard there. "Frek" She whispered.

Hanging above the door frame, supporting her light frame from a beam, she swung down feet first and took the sentry in the head, knocked him senseless, but his bolter clattered to the ground noisely. Nothing for it now, she ran with her prize tuck into her tunic and headed for the market square, hoping to lose them there. The sounds of pursuit echoed not far behind her.

Linelle was looking at her tummy in a the reflection of a large polished console backing, then upbraded herself. "Fool woman, it's going to take more than two weeks for this deed to show." Just then Galaxya called to her.

"Ah, er Linelle, I've just been monitoring vox traffic, there are Laraxans here and they are looking for Captain Ni-Fang."

"How do you know that?" Linelle let her top drop and turned to the medic.

"Their dialect is similar to my own. They have two ships docked on the other side of the town, but they are looking everywhere for her."

"Damn." Linelle thought for a moment.

"Call the Dawn, let Hieden know, I'll try and find the Captain."

"But..."

"No buts, do it, and when I'm gone, seal the ship."

Linelle raced to her quarters, donned her battle armour, picked up her two eldar rapiers, sheathed them on her back and was out of the Spirit in moments.

Pretas got the call from Galaxya, and passed the message onto Hieden. The Dawn's old captain had already seen the Laraxans did not take his bait, so he dumped the three sensors in Anath's atmosphere and sped back to the Dawn. He docked the little fighter and ran to the bridge.

"Get Gera here right now, arm yorself, there are some decent bolters in the armory, have Gera do the same and meet me in hangar bay two as fast as you can.

"Aye sir." Pretas smiled, for the first time he forgot about the Sisters, knowing they had little or no presence here.

Linelle had found her Captain in the Market Square, only a few seconds before the first Laraxan trooper rounded the corner. The two women took up a back to back defensive stance. Ni-Fang spoke low to her Navigator.

"I thought I ordered you to stay aboard Linelle."

"You did, you can punish me later, right now we need to get you away from these goons."

"Right, remind me to confine you to quarters when this is done." Ni-Fang smiled, glad for the company.

The Laraxans closed in slowly, seeing now two women, one dressed in the armour of a Eldar Priestess, they came warily, but gained a little boldness on seeing some of their bretheren close from another alley. The people in the market saw the oncoming battle and fled.

Pretas, met Hieden in the hangar bay and was surprised by what he saw. Another small ship, but different to the others. It looked like a large tube, cut off at an angle at either end, with a window in front and a loading door at the rear. Gera came down behind Pretas, armed to the teeth, the three of them embarked, Hieden took the controls, flew out of the Dawn and relayed to the ships control to lock down. Dawns voice came back. "Already done Captain."

Her fingers are bleeding. Linelle thought, seeing the knuckles on Ni-Fang's left hand, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Ni-Fang asked watching the men surround them, "oh this? broke a wall"

There were four dozen men, and more coming at all directions, until the place the pair were at was surrounded, all of them Laraxan, the leader stepped forwards, his hand out. "hand it over." he said in a odd language, one that Linelle didn't understand, yet Ni-Fang only smiled as she understood the man word for word.

So she replied in the same language, "Hand what over?" Her voice childlike. Which made Linelle nervous

"What did you tell him?" She held both swords out ready for use.

"I only asked him a question" Ni-Fang said, still sounding like a young girl, as she watched the leader. a odd look in her eyes.

"Yeah well, whatever you said I'm happy you understood him." Linelle retorted. Obviously angered there were still languages she didn't understand

"It is not my fauilt they are Lokikaen!" Ni-Fang muttered back. She smiled at the man again, then murmered to Linelle, "When we survive this remind me to lock you personally in your chambers."

"I'll make a note of it" Linelle said trying to keep from getting nervous, her captain was crazy, there were too many men there for the pair to fight and survive. Or were there?

The leader spoke again. "Hand over the key, or die." Ni-Fang only smiled, her foot moving fast as a snake struck out and sent a piece of wood flying straight at the man, catching him in the eye, dropping him to the ground, dead.

She shouted something, which apparently to Linelle sounded like "Dai hoe shai ya shak!!, Hei hoi haei!" Before the pair were attacked and dozens of men ran at them. Linelle worked forming a pattern in her mind of a dance of some sort. Ni-Fang however was more fluid, and a lot less graceful, yet every strike from her hands, held in the postion of birds claws, sent a man either flying, or to the ground. Soon, the four dozen were reduced to none

None save for the captain of the larger Laraxan ship. he stepped forwards into view, a dark bulk of a thing. He smiled, his broken teeth showing in the lamplight. Ni-Fang spoke, in basic english. "Linelle, go to the Spirit, go now while you have the chance."

Linell nodded, and made to leavem, stopped after two steps, turning back she asked. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine." Was all that came from Ni-Fang, then the man ran forwards, "Linelle, For the sake of the new life within, RUN!" With that thought Ni-Fang mentally gave Linelle a shove to start running, and raised her open hands, catching the larger man, which was resulted in a concussion wave of power as their energies met. With a explosion of sound and light the two blasted apart. Ni-Fang through a thick wall, and the man into a metal pole, breaking it.

The man got to his feet, laughing, Ni-Fang laid their on the ground. She spat up blood. Looking through foggy vision she saw the man stand up, and laugh, this was insane. Then she felt it as the man stepped closer, reaching down to her she smiled to him. "I win...." She hissed, kicking the man in the groin and covering her face as a energy bolt of some kind blasted from a space unseen sending the man flying into a wall in a explosion of power. Now where in the galaxy, did that energy bolt come from?

Ni-Fang got to her feet, leaning against the wall for support, a hand to her hip, a piece of metal was poking through it, obviously the man knew what he was doing enough to send her through steel and cement. Dragging her way along towards where the Spirit was docking, she felt for a moment, all her strength holding her against the wall, for the key, It was still there, With a sigh of relief she continued forwards, until she heard Hiedens voice in her head. Where was he? "Hieden?" She turned to look behind herself, at first not seeing him. "Hieden?!"

Then she saw it, Hieden standing nearby to something. calling to her. "Ni-Fang, lass!!" he ran for her.

It was the last thing she saw before a black blade stabbed through her, she stared at the blade, hearing the Laraxan Man laugh again. "Not so child of merchants!" he hissed into her ear. reaching for the key. His hand grabbed it, and she fell to the ground, the broken pieces of rebar sticking out of her back, through a lung.

The man stood there stupidly and looked at the key. "All this trouble, of an item like this. What good is it worth to fight for ones life?" He wondered. only to think of nothing more as a solid WHAM from Hiedens fist to the mans chest and a hand grabbing the key, broke both the keys chain an the mans thoughts as he sailed away.

"Pretas! Now! FIRE!" Hieden said ducking to pick up the fallen Captain as a bolt of white enery lanced from the craft of odd make into the man, reliving him of his head. Though Hieden knew it wouldn't be the last he saw of the Laraxans. Gera came forwards, made sure the man was dead, then helped with Ni-Fang.

Who was oddly seething. She grabbed the broken rebar and wrenched it out of her lung, now all she had to worry about was her hip. "Get me to the Spirit." she said.

"Captain?"

"Do it, I'll handle myself, just get me to my ship!"

Hieden nodded and lifted her up, he looked to Gera, who noded and the unspoken order, take the smaller shuttle to the Dawn and await orders. With that he headed for the Spirit. As he walked Ni-fang asked him through the haze. "Did I loose it?"

"Loose what lass?"

"The key" She replied. Hiedend and shook his head. She still had it. She smiled, and then blacked out. But thankfully not from bloodloss, only from pain.

Linelle had not run more than a hundred metres when she ran into another wall of Laraxan soldiers, but by this time the local security forces were out, they came behind the intruders weapons raised and calling for the others to lower their own and stand down. Linelle knew they outcome here, the Laraxans would never surrender, and for the locals it would end in a bloodbath. She whistled loudly. "Come on boys I'm the one you're after, what's the matter afraid of one little eldar girl!"

The taunt was enough, the enemy forgot the local troopers entirely and gave chase, Linelle back tracked through the alleys to the market square, knowing Ni-Fang was still there, but without rousing too much alram, she had to take these thugs down in the 'conventional' way, no eldar magic here.

She rounded the last corner, only to see Hieden picking up the wounded Captain, and a strange small vessel, she recognised as one from the Dawn, just behind him about to take off, "No, no!" She called out, but the clammour of the pursuit drowned out her words.

Hieden held Ni-Fang closely, and began walking in the direction that would take him back to the Spirit, he heard the ruccus of men shouting coming from the path he was to take, and then saw Linelle waving anxiously to him, he stopped and set the Captain down gently, she was bleeding badly. _"What now?"_ He asked himself.

The eldar came swiftly to join Hieden's side, the Laraxans not thirty metres behind, she could a little to help, but not enough that the whole Imperium would be after them to the ends of the universe if she used her full powers.

She held a flower in her mind and watched it unfold slowly, one of the first exercises she ever learnt at the temple. Holding out her fist, then unfurling her fingers, she a fireball into the midst of the Laraxans.

"That'll slow em' some Lin, but we have to get Ni-Fang out of here...frek I told Pretas to go back, could use that damn shuttle right now."

Linelle just nodded to him and said. "Shut up Hammer and unlimber that useless bolter of yours, one little fireball isn't going to stop them that long."

He followed through, with actions practiced over many years, the heavy calibre bolter was off his back and pumping rounds into the oncoming Laraxans, who by now started firing back. They took cover behind market barrows, but Hieden, Linelle and Ni-Fang were still in the open.

Pretas struggled with the alien controls, it was all he could do to keep the shuttle from falling back tp ground. He managed to maintain some semblance of stability when Gera seated next to him shouted. "Sir, over there." He pointed at the unfolding scene below, the first mate, navigator and Captain Ni-Fang about to be overun by their enemy.

"Oh hells, weapons, weapons, were are the frekkin weapons." He bellowed in frustration as his hands searched the control panel. He found one handle he thought looked like it might be the one, and with the shuttle's nose pointing toward the Laraxans position, he pulled on it...nothing, except the rear cargo door opened.  
Gera turned to his creator. "That's it sir, turn us about and bring the vessel down slowly." He got out of his seat, went and stood by the cargo door, plasma rifle ready.

Hieden kept firing, and Linelle every now and then, raced like an unseen blur, and cut down any who tried to leave their cover, but there were too many of them, and they were wearing the Spirits crew down, Ni-Fang stirred a moment. "What's happening...why is there shooting?" Then she passed out again.

The Laraxans were slowly moving forward, their numbers cut to maybe half, but that was still too many as a few survivors from the first encounter with Ni-Fang and Linelle had joined with them. Then plasma bolts passed over Hieden's head, coming from behind, he turned ever so briefly to hear the whine of only one craft he knew to make that sound."Pretas, you flamin idiot, thank the stars for another who can't take orders." He said loud enough for Linelle to acknowledge, with one more fireball hurled at the all to close hostiles.

The shuttle glided smoothly over the town, Hieden now at the controls, and headed for the docks and the Spirit, Galaxya would be there to meet them, and Linelle had stemmed Ni-Fang's blood flow. As the small ship landed in the immense cargo bay of the Spirit, Gera lifted the captain and carried her out to meet the MedTech, Ni-Fang came awake for a single moment. And looked about at her crew.

"You are all on report, for disobeying a direct order." She said with a smile.

"Yes ma'am." They all answered as one. Ni-Fang passed out again

Hieden made one last check on Ni-Fang before he left, Galaxya shooing him out and assuring him she'll be ok. With that he stopped by Linelle's cabin and knocked softly. "Enter, it's not locked Hammer."

He walked in, and saw Linelle standing there, a traditional eldar cream dress, almost to the floor, roses embroided around the deep neckline, her rich auburn hair up, with pearls woven through. He laughed lightly. "Is this what you're wearing lass?" He could only admire her, but it was after all a recruiting drive.

"I am what I am dear Hammer, and people must see me for that, now are you ready?"

"Yes, of course." He took her arm, and they left the Spirit headed for the space port taverns, the most likely places unemployed crews could be found.

Hammer parked the skimmer just outside the Golden Star, one of Anath four's more reputable establishments. They entered together and immediately all eyes were drawn to the half eldar. "Ye create quite an impression, ye know that Lin?" He whispered.

"I don't really give a damn Captain Starfire, so long as you're the only one impressed." She said quietly and punched him in the ribs.

"Ugh!" His breath let out. "Right then down to business." Linelle just sighed, she was thinking of finding a floral shop.

After eight straight hours of interviews, they had managed to find all the crew they needed. Some were already familiar with them, one Andea Gunisen, was MedTech on the Dawn's first mission. She was working in a poor shelter, but as they already had four other MedTechs, they wished her well and let her go.

Hieden was anxious to get back, but Linelle asked him to wait for her, she kissed him lightly on the cheek and disappeared into the crowd.

"Now what is she up to?" He wondered.

About an hour later she returned, carrying a large odd shaped parcel wrapped in pink paper. She climbed aboard the skimmer and asked Hammer to take her to the city park. He didn't question Linelle, he never did, she had impulses and it was best not to cross her then.

They reached the park in about fifteen minutes, traffic around the space port was light today. Before entering Hieden looked over the landscape, once a barren moon, now a thriving community. He could see the large chimneys of the atmosphere processors, one complex of thirty on Anath Four, and curiosly he thought of the destruction and chaos it would cause if those processors were attacked. He shook it from his mind and after checking the skimmer in at the gates, Linelle took his hand and walked him inside.

The park was developed from images of old Holy Terra. There were trees, a brook here and there and a fairly substantial lake. Linelle guided him to a spot beneath an old tree, a willow she thought they called it, the fronds drooping placidly into the blue lake waters.

She made him stand against the bole of the tree and unwrapped her parcel, Hammer drew in his breath when he saw the wreath of snow rose. "Ah Lin...I thought we..."

She placed her fingers on his lips, and laid the Bridal wreath at his feet as was the custom now. "Before you say anything Hammer Starfire, I know all your arguments, your aging as opposed mine and yadda, yadda, yadda. So shut it. My parents have a Life Chamber, and as well you know your fate. I am with child, your child, and as custom dictatates, I lay this wreath at your feet, in the request of marraige, do you accept?" She already had her knife out, ready to kill him if he refused, this was not exactly custom, but some of the eldar took it that way.

"Well, ah, a child eh, mine?" Well he knew that of course, he stammered some more and then put his arms around her. "Do you know what it will be like to marry a man who dies and comes back again and again, to harass you over and over?" He laughed.

"Yes I do." She kissed him warmly.

"Linlelle Evelin Trasker, I am yours." He said simply, and tears washed down her cheeks.

Where she laid in the medbay Ni-Fang smiled as she felt the tie be strengthened between her first mate and navigator, she sat up. on the bed then. a hand clutching at the wound she had taken from the Laraxan captain. The fool, what did he want to acomplish? She wondered as odd greygreen mist of some sort was generated around the wound healing it from within.

It was bad enuogh that one of her crew was with child, yet now the unborn had a father, that alone would be good for both herself, and the crew as a whole. Though the warning the infant would be warpborn did make Linelle a bit nervous.

Oh great, not this now, not when we are to leave! Ni-Fang thought seeing Galayxa walking towards her. At least she had a tray of something, food perhaps. And also seemed in a somewhat better mood. "Galayxa, you were the only one of everyone in the crew thus far that has not broken their orders given to them, for that I thank you."

"You are on your feet so soon?" the TechMedic said softly seeing Ni-Fang moving about, not hurt, yet odd greengrey mist seemingto leak off her body, most likely daemon magic of sort.

"I am. Though I must say, getting hit with steel poles is not fun, I'd rather get glass or wood instead." She smiled. "One thing is for sure, I will not have a fatherless child on the ship, nor is such going to happen as far as i'm concerned. Is the ship ready for departure?" Galayxa nodded. "Alright, where is Hieden?"

"Getting crew to take post within the Dawn, he said to keep eye on you though Captain." Came the soft reply.

"That is good, I do think we are seeing a few of them arrive already. Yes?" Ni-Fang said to Cirir, as the four legged mutant scuttled into view.

"Captain, I bring news, it is all over the galaxy by now no doubt." he rasped. "The God Emperor is failing, his health is nearly spent, some say his nothing more thne a shattered husk of himself now, can no longer speak."

Ni-Fangs face seemed to harden as she took out the key. Flicking it in the air and catching it in a single deft move she spoke. "Of all items, this key brings the most trouble, and we are needed to go to Holy Terra with this key as well. Contact Hieden, Linlelle is to go with him aboard the Red Dawn and make for Mars Station. We on the other hand, will make for Holy Terra." She told him.

Cirir nodded, "As you command Madam." he said turning about and scuttleing to the bridge, some of the new crew for their craft looking as if they'd took the wrong turn for the right ship as they spotted Cirir, all four feet wroking in harmony as he relayed the command to Hieden. The Dawn was to make for Mars at best speed, and wait for Ni-Fang to give new orders. In the mewantime, the Spirit would head for Holy Terra's own dockyards.

Hieronyma frowned as Ni-Fang sat up and eased herself off the bed, going to follow Cirir as he walked out. "You should not be on your feet yet, you need rest." The timid woman was rather stubborn when it came to her patients.

Ni-Fang waved her off. "I'm fine, don't worry."

Hieronyma smiled a bit, which was a bit of a shock to Ni-Fang, the timid woman had never smiled. "I should give you your own personal bed in here, you know that? Now get out of here, and don't let me see you in here again or I swear on the God Emperor, I will lock you in here."

Hieronyma walked away, going to organize her supplies. Ni-Fang studied her retreating form, and then got up and walked out of the medbay. There had been an odd look in the TechMedic's eyes when Holy Terra had been mentioned. Odd, but she would have to think on it later. Her crew needed her

Hieden looked over his logbook, all the positions had been filled aboard the Dawn, it was a good day. Linelle was in her rightful place as the ships Nav, but now the Spirit was without. But good fortune prevailed this day, as one of the recruits who had signed for combat duties was not long ago the Navigator on the Cerebrus. As that poor ship had succumbed to a Laraxan raid not so long ago, she only made it back to home base, in what could only be described as scrap worthy. The young man never thought he would be Nav agian, as he was only newly promoted when the Cerebrus's crew was disbanded.

A skimmer was sent across to the Spirit before take off, bearing her new navigator, Keth Nansoon, and twenty combat personell, Ni-Fang would be pleased. Of the Dawn's new arrivals, Linelle was over joyed to see her old friend Andea Gunisen, from the Dawn's original crew. The half eldar was not too sure the small blonde woman would rejoin the fated ship, when they interviwed her, but seeing her back, gave her a swell of pride, knowing that they could once again make the Red Dawn a ship to serve with commitment.

Orders were processed and now as first mate, Pretas, gave the command to slip the docking clamps and make for Mars Station, Linelle told him it would take eight days, nothing more now than to take some rest and train up the crews. Gera had taken his part as well, overseeing the remaining forty combat troops assigned to the Dawn. Some of them were veterans, some simple farm boys, wanting a change of life, those Gera assured Captain Starfire, he will make into men.

Ni-Fang watched the Dawn slip into the warp ahead of the Spirit, they'd be waiting for their next set of orders no doubt. the ship was small, too small to be considered anything spaceworthy or for that matter battle worthy, the fact that it survived this long in mothballs at Suldons. That made her start thinking. Her father let her have the ship as she liked with her own crew choises. She left that up to Hieden. One thing she liked of the other craft was that it fit snugly, with room to spare, within the hangar of the Spirits underbelly.

She watched Hieronyma before she left. She is a good TechMedic, one worth taking on. But she is different then the others within Fathers Fleet. She thought turning and heading for the brige, Would she truly lock me within the medical bay when injured to ensure I heal? She wondered. She arrived on the bridge a moment later, noticing first and formost that her new navigator was present, speaking to him she said. "You are Keth Nansoon, former navigator of the Cerebrus."

"That I am," the man replied with a nod. "No doubt you are the captain, one I am to serve under. It is an honor to serve under your command." keth had the air of one who had seen combat very little. Yet knew how to handle such situations.

"Good, then man your station." She told him, "get us a course to Holy Terra, I have an appointment to meet with the Emperor there." Keth nodded and took his place, after a minute the course was set and the Spirit disappeared into the Warp.

By that time, the crew of the Dawn had settled into a routine, training, combat drills and more training. The Captain under Ni-Fangs orders refrained from using his real name openly for the time being, at least until she could talk to Johen.

Pretas was working out well as first mate, he had gotten over his intitial nervousness when he first joined the Spirit, now he knew the Sisters would not come near him so long as Linelle was around, she even promised to teach him some basic eldar cantrips knowing that as the months drew on, she would be less useful to everyone.

Gera was enjoying the time as much as can be imagined for someone who was only a few weeks old, but the knowledge Pretas had given him, put him in good stead with everyone, especially the old veterans under his command. To them he seemed like a soldier who had experienced as many battles as they.

Hieden and Linelle were enjoying a few moments alone, before the next warp jump. Linelle looked squarely at her man. "Two things Star. Firstly, as soon as we touch Mars Station, you find an Administrator to make us legal. Secondly, where is Ni-Fang going, that she wants us to cool our heels and wait?"

"Ah, well, lass, she made me swear I would not say."

Linelle gave him that threatening look.

"Ahem, well it wont do no harm I guess, she's gonna go see the Emperor about this flamin' key you two nearly got killed over."

"The bloody useless 'God-Emperor? Now I know why she didn't tell me. That moron still has three of my fellow Priests under lock and key.....how do you feel about a bust out my dear?"

"What, pinch yer mates from under his nose?"

"Yes, exactly. He'll be distracted with Ni-Fang, his guards will be laxed at this time of the year, being the summer festival, a perfect time for crime"

Hieden laughed. "I love ye, my sweet, the good old days hey."

They embraced one another and began the planning.


	6. Chapter 6

Rogue Trader; season one  
Episode six: Battle at Holy Terra

Everything was going to plan. Soon they'd land at Holy Terra station and she could speak to the God-Emperor. Now if only he would react to her being there, much less know about the key. The three pronged thing was causing her nothing but trouble, nearly death as well. It was all good, her crew were all there, and they had a mission each. Fingering the key where she stood near the helm, the darkness of the warp sliding past the great ship. Ni-Fang thought back to that first meeting with the God-Emperor. He wasn't exactly a talkitive man, more of a thinking man, one who expressed his will through the thoughts of mental speaking.

Which makes me more of a weapon and friend then anything else against him as it is. Ni-Fang thought, the emperor was a shattered husk as Cirir had said, all of it was true. Now all i have to figure out is what this key unlocks. She thought. Then she spoke. "Cirir"

"Captain?"

"Send word to the Dawn, Pretas is under Hiedens command and is his TechPreist, should the Inqui attempt to stop the Dawn or inspect it, they risk their lives and their men to the wrath of the Emperor." Ni-Fang said softly. Our only hope lies in the inqui being focused on the Dawn, or other items. She then spoke again. "Get me a private channel to Pretas vox system."

"Aye, Captain." Cirir replied typing a few commands into the screenbefore him, "Vox channel active, locked between yourself and Techpriest Pretas." he said, "Message also sent to Commander Hieden."

"Thank you" Ni-Fang said turning and leaving the bridge to go to her quarters. As she did so she spoke to Pretas, "Pretas, do not talk, just listen. I have a very important order for you to follow, you are to reach Mars station in nine days, slow your speed to allow us there just after your arrival. You are to draw the attention of any inqui ships to the Dawn and also to Mars Station and away from Holy Terra, or they risk the Emperors wrath through yourself." She said once she was in her chambers. "The Inqui will either brand you a heritic and mark ready to fire upon you, yet they will do no damage to your ship. I want you to arm a single torpedo and return fire, all Inqui ships are the same, their weakest point is their hangar bays for their fighter craft, the nine person shuttles area."

"Target the bay when fired upon, and only if fired upon. If they heed your words and thuis leave you be, they will return to their patrols in the system. They will be focused on you because of yourself and the ship as a whole, however make for MerTelCom docks at Mars. I have busines to tend to with the Emperor. But I do not want Hieden to be present, muchless yourself. I will go alone. It is of..... personal matters between he and I. I will contact you again when it is concluded."

What she did not know was that she was being watched by a set of eyes, an agent on her craft, yet one acting as part of the small miltary contigent in her craft

The Red Dawn was now only two days away from Mars Station and all had gone well, Pretas was gaining in profeciancy as first mate under Hieden's tutelage. He had also received some training from Linelle, decent fireballs and chain lightning combat strikes were now his to command. In return, he also gave her a gift, he explained to her, the reason she so often passed out or collapsed after using large doses of her power, was the conflict between her two heritages. The human half was all chaos and rage, while the eldar half was calm and tranquility. To resolve the issue, he made a focus crystal for her, that fitted neatly into the nine circle of her medallion, on her very first try, she unleashed her power at a small asteroid they were passing, it was vaporised into a thousand shards, with no effect upon her, most pleasing.

Hieden went over Ni-Fang's order to him and Pretas, she wanted them to actively engage a Inquisitor ship, to draw attention away from her mission with the God-Emperor. Those nasty buggers rarely travelled alone he thought, might get rough. But then does he go looking for them, or will they find the Dawn?

Linellle had watch command onthe bridge when a hail was received. Her trainee navigator, a young half eldar like herself, but male, Armin Las made the call. "Ma'am, we have three Inquisitor ships, eight thousand meters of our starboard quarter, requesting we heave to for boarding, how do we respond?"

"Tell them to go to hell." She said simply, Hieden had relayed Ni-Fangs order to her, and one she gladly carried out

Mars Station, a forge world within sight of Holy Terra, and one fo the major exporting locations of a mineral known only as Muksu, a red vapor like substance used in cooking machines. The first city on the planet grew before it emcompassed the part of the planet that covered the area seen by the sun. the gravity was only thrity eight percent that of Terra's own, making everyone there a bit on the heavy side in terms of muscle.

Yet some there who were not born there, used only tyhe jail system located there. Three people, all of them Members of the Nine. Resided there near the jail system. And one person, their charge, sat within a cell. On her own for most of her life, taken in by Ni-Fangs father as a foster child, then shoertly given into the care of Hammer Starfire at Johens request. Fan was a child of the warp, born at the same time of that of a daemon. Taken by the daemon. And used.

But now the daemon was quiet. Letting Fan, for once in her life without having to worry, think, and contemplate everything around her. The daemon within her had taken control of her body, leaving nothing to spare, only letting her take control when the daemon said so. The poor child was not even twenty years Terra reckoning either. yet she stood as tall as Ni-Fang, and treated her like an equal.

But the daemon, the daemon was different. Several soldiers she heard speaking about a old race, a race of many thousands of years before. Guu'ld the men called them. Known mostly as snakeheads. They pretty much disregarded them to be similar to the daemons, or the actual daemons themselves. But they dared not provoke Fan. Mostly because of her fear of everything else the soldiers were capible of doing. The three of the Nine protected her and kept watch. Though other soldiers kept trying to take her away and remove her to the Shrine for purification. It never happened. Something was keeping the three of the Nine to keep her there on Mars

Fan finally woke up that morning, with only two days until the weekly try for the sodliers to take her to Holy Terra again. And ate some food, whatever the nine ate was good enough to keep her alive, but sour enough to the daemon to only eat very little of it. Fan was a mess, being in the dank cell was bad enough. Her hair hung tangled in places, she never bothered to clean it after the soldiers started coming once a week, though the Nine did the best they could. At least that counted for something. She felt the slightest pull of energy from somewhere, and felt very sick, did the daemon witrhin feel another nearby? She hoped not. Unless it was Ni-Fang, in which case she'd be freed again.

Where she was located cellwise was on a main hub, soldiers passed by quickly. many of them speaking of an intrusion to the Sol system. And to be ready to guard the jail as much as possible. Fan didn't bother to ask what was going on. Her eyes were only one one thing outside her cell. a steel and faberic white chinese folding fan, hanging on the wall, never touched since she had been placed in the cell seven years before. If only she could use that to get free on her own. Then find her friend. only then would she be truly safe.

_This is Inquisitor Har Shellam, you are an unregistered and unidentified ship, you will prepare for boarding now, flee or resist and we will destroy you." _  
Hieden and Pretas were called to the bridge, Linelle had told them of the hail and replayed the very last message, the captain scratched his chin for a moment.

"Armin, put me on broadrange vox, I want te send em' me greetin's."

"Aye sir."

"Yer inquisitorship Shellam, this is Captain Starfire of the Red Dawn, if ye check ye logs sonny, ye'll find this little ship is registered, and ready t' defend ourselves, by order of the God Emperor hisself." Hieden waited and turned to his crew. "Let's see what they make o' that eh?"

"You have a way of upsetting people do you know that Star?" Linelle said with a smirk on her face.

"Aye, ah do, don't I. Pretas, have Dawn ready missiles."

"Sir." Pretas turned his panel key to ready and armed. "Dawn, ready tubes four, nine and sixteen."

"Four, nine and sixteen ready Pretas my dear." Came the electronic reply. At which Linelle looked at Pretas and mouthed the words, _"My dear?"_. To which he just shrugged and smiled.

"Reply being returned captain." Armin turned in his seat and frowned.

"Put it on speaker Armin." Hieden told him.

The crackly voice was heard clearly throughout the Dawn. "That ship was lost many years ago, with it's captain, therefore you are an imposter. Stand down now, or be destroyed."

"They're powering weapon's and shields sir." Pretas called out.

"Fire at the two outer ships laddie, at the junction between the hangar and main hull. Cripple the third, put ye missile into her sublight engine pods, fire now!"

Pretas moved the safety to off and fired all three missiles, their target inputs automatically corrected by Dawn's massive computer. As the missiles left their tubes, Hieden moved swiftly to change the ships attitude, the three Inquisitor ships fired as one, but they had no way of anticipating the Dawn's speed and course change. The barrage missed her completely, yet the Dawn's counter attack made the mark. The first Inquisitor ship was virtually split in half, the missile penetrating the shield and impacting on the ships hull, right at the weakest juncture, where the mainframe attaches to the hangar. The second ship, exploded entirely in an immense eruption, that even as the Dawn evaded the hostile fire, the crew aboard her, felt the shock waves.

The third missile also had the desired effect, though not quite as successful as Hieden had desired. The sublight engine pods had a little more armour around them than he had suspected, and instead of merely putting the ship out of action for a time, completely sheared off one pod, leaving the Inquistor ship just lazily going around in a continuous arc. He restrained from laughing.

"Well me hearties, that'll slow em' fer a while, Linelle, make for Mars Station."

"Aye Captain." She said with a broad grin, and Preats could only barely hide his mirth.

The Spirit of Silence dropped from the warp and neared Holy Terra, nearly all the Inqui ships had headed for Mars Station. Leaving normal patrol ships to keep peace around the planet. It was now or never. And now sounded pretty well off considering the nine void sheilds where fully powered. The craft rumbled to a halt near a dock. Ni-Fang would take a shuttle the rest of the way.

"Galayxa; you are in charge in my stead until I return." Ni-Fang said as she entered the medical area where the TechMedic had made herself to home.

"You are going alone?" Galayxa asked her, oddly curious as to why.

"Yes, it is of personal matters between myself and the Emperor. It should not take too long, it concerns this, " she held up the key she had nearly died over and continued. "and a childhood friend of mine named Fan. She is held on Mars Station. I will send a set of orders to Hieden when I touchdown on Holy Terra" Ni-Fan said putting the key away into her blood red dress.

"I understand, and you wish for me to command in your stead?"

"If it is too much, I am sure that Cirir can do the job, yet you seem to work well under pressure. Even if it is unintentiional pressure at that. Eiother way Cirir will be on hand to help should things get crazy for you. You can trust him." Ni-Fang said before leaving the ship.

One Hour Later:.....

Hiedens vox chirped. "Hieden, it's me, I'm on Holy terra, i have a important mission for you, but you must keep an eye on Linelle at all times, the infant she carries is two weeks along, anything major, be it a fireball or more, would cause too much strain for the infant."

"Aye, I can do that, orders captain?" Hieden asked as the Dawn neared Mars Station's MerTelCom docks.

"It concerns a childhood friend of mine." Ni-Fang said.

"Lady Fan? What about her?" If Fan was in trouble, things must have not be going well in his abscence

"She is held on Mars Station, by the Nine I think, either that or Tau Space marines, either way she is a prisoner when she is not to be so, I'm abotu ot speak to the Emperor, whatever you do, get Fan out of there and onto the Dawn as fast as ypou can, get her anything that resembles a fan like item. She'll know what to do." Ni-Fang remembered the times the pair had sparred and how many times even with herself using a weapon of somekind, always ending up on the mat against Fan when the other used only a small folding fan. "Good luck." Ni-Fang said signing off, it was time to see the top dog of the galaxy.

Old Hastel the dock foreman could not believe his eyes as the Dawn finally settled into her allotted bay. The moment the crew began to file out, he ran as best as his limp would allow, to greet them.

"Well what a sight for these old eyes you are Captain Starfire. When I received your vox, I said to myself, it can't be...but then that voice, sir there's none other like it in the 'verse. Welcome sir, welcome....and Linelle, damn woman you're still an old dockers dream how are you?"

"Married." She said simply and looked at Hieden, who just smiled, then changed his face immediatley.

"Josh, there may be a spot of bother on our tail. Just had a wee run in with the Inqui...I suggest ye arm the lads. Gera, get your men togther and be prepared to defend the docks. I canna tell you all now Josh, suffice to say, Linelle n' me have a spot of work t' do, if ye get ma drift."

"Yes sir. We'll hold here till you're back, I know what you mean when you say 'work'"

Hieden and Linelle left the docks promptly in the shuttle craft, they took Pretas and four of Gera's most seasoned troops with them, arm only with light bolters. The Dawn was on auto defence, and would keep anything hostile that came within sneezing distance at bay. Satisfied all was set, Hieden set a short line of travel for the Prisons, some twenty kilometers away. He set the little ship down in a sheltered ravine, less than a thousand meters away from the monstrous stucture, to the buildings north and west.

"If I may ask sir, how do we get in. Certainly not through the front gate I assume?" Pretas asked.

"No lad, there is a culvert which leads to a drainage outlet on this northern wall. Th screws have long forgot about it, but, ah....well lets say ah have has te do this once or twice before. But these are high security folks they be holdin, its nae gonna be as easy as getting out some simple felon."

"You are the master of understatement my dear." Linelle said with a small frown. "They will be held in the lowest levels, we can get straight to that level, but then we have to pass through several clearence blocks. They will be heavily guarded, so we have to make sure we keep this as quiet as possible, it would be better if we did not have to use our side arms at all. There are twelve hundred guards in that place, if we raise the alarm...well lets just say, we avoid casulties."

"Maam, what are we supposed to do, use harsh words". One of the old soldiers asked.

Hieden just stared at the soldier, there was no more to be said, this was stealth at its highest call. They climbed out of the ravine, Hieden checked and double checked, in the darkeness they might go unseen, but hes been wrong before. They reached a small ditch some thirty meters from the wall, looking up, guards could be seen wondering back and forth in a glow of light that came from within the prison. The occasional searchlight swept the barren plain, but not this close to the wall. Dropping into the culvert they came against a pile of rock, hard against the high wall, Hieden crouched down and peered into a gap, just barely large enoughto crawl through. He turned to those behind. "Careful here, thas a wee drop as ye come through," then he disappaered into the hole, followed closely by Linelle and the rest.

It was dark and the odour was rank, Pretas could feel soft squishes beneath his boots, but hed been in worse places whilst on the run, he focused on the small ball of light Linelle held aloft before her, that was one cantrip she had to show him, he mused as he slopped along. After some thirty minutes of twists and turns Hieden stopped them and called for quiet. Voices could be heard above, and looking directly up, a ladder with a grill at the top could be seen. Linelle cautioned them, with a hand and the light ball disappeared, she climbed the ladder deftly and peered through the holes in the grill, then gently lifted it a little, looking in every direction, all clear.

The iron grating lifted higher and Linelle climebed out, she turned and was about to call for the others to follow when she heard a soft scrape behind her.

"Hello Linelle, its been a long time, we have a room waiting for you." She was looking face to face with the Priests keeper, Galrain Ronez, a large domineering, black haired woman. The last Linelle remembered as the the control collar slipped over her neck, was slamming the grill down with her foot.

Ni-Fan entered the great hall after being scanned for weapons, of which she carried none, the next door she passed through she noticed several soldiers, obviously the Inqui, apparently they ran things in the Emperors name, no wonder the place was so fallen apart. Ni-Fang mentally called to the Emperor, 'Your homelikeness of your hall has lessened of late. God-Emperor' She mentally said.

Dark brown eyes stared back at her as several Inqui soldiers moved to intercept her. 'Why should I welcome you, Daemon Stormwind?' He asked her.

'Well said your highness' Ni-Fang replied in challenge. 'I come to you with inquiry of several things of personal matters, one of whom is my techpriest. You may know of him. He is Pretas. the Alpha Plus Psyker. No doubt you wonder what happened to the men that tried to take him from me.'

The God-Emperor said nothing, he only stared at her, his unblinking eyes matching her own dark stare. The room seemed to shake a bit as she challenged him in the staring contect, until finally, mercifully he mentally asked her. 'What is it you ask of me on TechPriest Pretas behalf?'

'Freedom from the inqui persuit. Freedom to do as he likes, just as you have given me.' Ni-Fang said.

'It is done then.' the God-Emperor replied.

'There is also the matter of one Linelle Trasker....' Ni-Fang started to speak again before she was rudley cutoff by a loud hiss.

'Trasker! The thief that steals away many treasures and leaves the Nine to care for a tenth without her help when her power is needed most!' The God Emperor thought darkly. He looked at Ni-Fang, her cool brown eyes staring directly at him. 'What of her you ask of me?'

'Her freedom, and the freedom of the Nine that you have under your control, the Laraxans are moving, their eye is fixed on Holy Terra. We stalled them long enough to get this' She pulled the three pronged key from her robes. The God-Emperors eyes seemed to glow at the sight of it. 'I have it, they tried to kill me for it, yet they failed. I require the services of Linelle Trasker and of the Nine to locate of what this key unlocks. The Nine will be under my care.'

'It is done then, what else have you to ask of me? Daughter of Merchants, what you ask here is now yours. tell me fully now, why have you come here?'

"I want Fan" Ni-Fang said aloud. She wanted her childhood friend, alive, and on her own ship. "But first I want to know what this key unlocks." She was then mentally connected with the Emperor, a path was shown. a silver ringed mountain, a wall of steel, a window of wood, a hall of stone, and a table of glass at the end. Apparently the place was on Holy Terra.

The next thing Ni-fang knew she was surrounded by A dozen Inqui soldiers. "Something tells me you not wish to let me leave in peace your highness." She said calmly.

"You have stayed too long madam, we suggest you leave before you are unable to do so." one of the Inqui soldiers said, Ni-Fang never looked his way. Her eyes directly on the shattered being on the golden throne before her. A minute passed, two minutes, three, Ni-Fang then smiled, her requested actions had been granted.

To a point....

She turned and left the palace heading for her shuttle, it was time to move to the silver mountain. As soon as she was in the shuttle she raidoed for Hieden, and got Gera. Which was unexpected.

"So you're awake now it seems." Galarin tugged at the fine golden chain, connecting her through a bracelet, to the control collar around Linelles neck. It was said they were made in the Ages long past, to control beings of power, to be used as a weapon at the handlers bidding. Uncovered eons ago, the first God-Emperor found that they could be effective on the Eldar Priests, and when the humans had their final victory over that race, a part of the truce was that the Emperor was to have full ownership of the Nine outside of the Temple, and that the Eldar would guarantee new trainees whenever one of the Nine was lost in battle. Linelle was the last novice Priestess to be handed over, more than a hundred years ago. But in the Great Barog Battle she was the only survivor, and in those sixty years she had been constantly on the run, or hidden from the Emperors eyes and ears.

Linelle turned on her cell bunk, the collar tight around her neck, that familar discomfort of having another control your actions to a degree. She sat up and looked at the gold links leading to Galrains bracelet on the woman as the haughty eldar sat smuggly outside of the iron bar door. "You are a traitor to your own kind Galrain, and one day you will pay for your treachery." Linelle spat at the floor.

"Now, now child, I will have no tantrums from you. You do remember how much I can hurt you my dear, dont you? And to exemplify her point, Galrain sent a thought of the lash thorugh the link, which Linelle felt sharply across her buttocks. You will obey my pet."

"What the hell was that?" Pretas looked at Hieden in the now darkened tunnels. They had moved on smartly as soon as they heard the voices and Linelle slammed the grill on them.

"All in the plan Laddie, all in the plan. Follow me." Hieden said casually.

"Your wife was just taken captive and you are so ca...."

"Ah sir I have a vox from Captain Ni-Fang." Gera said as he fiddled with the portable coms unit from the shuttle.

"Tell her were busy, unless she wants to storm the prison from above, ahll speak te her when were done lad." Hieden sounded a little tense, he hated distractions, even from one he regarded almost as his own child. They moved on, through the mirk, and as dark as it was, the men followed their captain without question. For they could all sense he was aiming for a target as straight as an arrow.

"Do you desire food Linelle, you are looking rather thin?" The surly woman taunted her.

"No I dont you bi..." Thin? Linelle felt her tummy, no too early to tell. She cast a glance through the cell door and saw her three fellow priests sitting not far behind Galrain, they were unlinked but still collared, after so many years of torment from their handlers, they were obedient to the extreme, Linelle only hoped when the time came, they would not turn on her. She peered a little deeper, they seemed to be guarding another cell, it had to be Fan. Now her thoughts turned to her husband, how was he progressing?

Hieden brought them to a stop against a stone wall, the end of the line it would seem, but the faint odour of food permeated this section, where they near the kitchens Pretas wondered, he was hungry. "Now what sir?" He asked somewhat expectantly.

"Watch." Hieden answered bluntly. He moved his hands over the unfinished stone until he found what he was looking for. Ah, here it be. A soft click was heard and a portion of the stone wall opened inward, revealing to Pretass delight the lower prison kithchens. It was bare of workers for the moment, being in the middle watch, but would not stay that way for long, as the bakers would soon be there to start the days bread. They followed their leader through the narrow opening, Gera only barely squeezing himself in, when the last was within the vast hall, Hieden pressed a stone high up and the wall was once again whole. Taking them to the nearest door, he opened it slightly, and in the lighted passageway three guards could be seen chatting and taking their ease.

"Pretas." Hieden whispered. "I want those three on the floor, asleep in five seconds."

"Er, Captain, if I use my power here, any psyker in the complex will know Im here. "

"Just a trickle man, enough to render them unconscious, there are enough with the power here, they wont even notice."

"If you say so." Pretas was unsure, but as he was instructed, he touched the warp ever so briefly and let out a fine controlled burst of energy. The three guards dropped like stones.

"Move out, Gera there is an upper level to the left of that hall, take your men and make sure we are not disturbed."

"Yes sir!" Gera complied and took his four men in the direction Hieden gave.

"Now Pretas, follow me...quietly."

"Sir..." He was about to ask if he could take some food, then thought better of it.

At the end of the long hall, they turned right. The were two doors in another passageway there. One at the far end, one half way down on the left. That door was the handlers room, Hieden knew that from Linelles information. Moving swiftly he came to the first door and from his coat pocket, withdrew a small pouch, inside was a grey putty like material, which he pushed into the doors lock. It made a soft hissing sound, and Pretas saw that the mechanism had bonded with the putty, then go solid. He touched it, slightly warm, but solid as steel.

"I must have some of that sir...er if you can." He said.

"Later son, ahll give ye a boxful." Hieden then moved to the next door, and above the frame he found the next thing he was to look for, a control box. He reached up and prized open the flimsy cover with his fingers and pulled out two wires, a tiny spark went down his arm, and he just smiled. He could he a single low voice inside. "Do you desire food Linelle, you are looking rather thin?"

The door swung open in the now darkened room, though the eldar had excellent dark vision, going from light to dark so quickly and having a bright hall lit behind, Galrain grasped around startled, then felt an arm encirlce her neck.

"What...who are you....let me go, I will ki.". She was panicking now, she could not move in the iron grip, and something was stoping her from using her own power. Then a voice whispered in her ear. "I am your judge, jury and executioner." That was the last she heard as her neck snapped.

Quickly Hieden released Linelle from her cell, he removed her collar and she did the same for her three friends. They did not resist, one, Kestre Naidin actually spat on Galrains corpse. The other two, both male, Timsa Aldare and his brother Jinjin just looked at the body with hatred. Linelle looked about and found the key to another cell, she opened the door and a bedraggled young woman lay upon the stone floor. Hieden picked her up gently and she became awake, looking into his eyes she knew she was free. She pointed to the fan hanging tantalising on the wall, and Pretas reached for it, only to have it crumble in his hands, it was a fake, left there to torment her.

"Never mind Fan, I have something else for you." Linelle said softly, as she pulled her sleeve back and pinched the skin on her arm, blood flowed and from within the wound, she withdrew two long ki-shang needles. She wiped them on her vest and handed them over.

"Now lets get out of here. Hieden said quietly as he gave Galrains body one last look.

Upon seeing who was with Hiden, the same man whom she had once called Diae. (Father) as a young girl, Fan at first wanted to go back into he cell, but when her fan fell apart she glared daggers at the three who had been guarding her for so long. The three had been tricking her with a fake of her own weapon! Then she remembered, long ago, (ten years to be exact) She had lost a fight, her fan had broken... or had it?

She heard voices. It was time to go, She pointed down the hall, away from the direction the others came. Gera however had maintained a private conversation with Ni-Fang. who seemed rather irked off. Yet also happy the plan was moving smoothly, or so it seemed. Fan peek around the corner, a low growl emitted from her throat as she leaned against the wall out of view of the two dozen soldiers.

"How many?" Hieden asked quietly, knowing the griowl meant trouble, and losts of it. "Ten?" Fan shook her head and mouthed the word, more then that, far more. Wait here. Without so much as a second thought she sent one of the needles flying. A thud was heard as one of the men in the next room fell like a stone. Fan held up a hand and shook herh ead to keep Linelle from going into a fight. A smile was on Fans face and a odd swish was heard and her bones within her wrists and arms glowed a bright blue through her skin.

Fan smiled again and stepped around the corner. One hand raking across one of the soldiers, sending him to the ground, dead as a doornail. blue energy of some kind trailed as her hands swept at her enemies, the soldeirs scrambled for their weapons, only a few were able to get a few shots off before they too were on the ground, or clutching their faces before something worse happened.

Then she noticed it. The Deaconite, a taller man, encased in thick power armor. More acuratly his belt. her white battle fan! She knew it was real due to the damage on the ends of it, black marks of battle damage. With a growl and what sounded like a wild animal let loose of her cage, Fan dashed forwards at the Deacon clearly berzerker shriek, and was shortly trading blows with the larger man/machine.

Linelle and the others came around the corner and she made ot send a fireball before Jinjin held her back and shook his head, "You ewill hurt her as well because of their movement, your aim will be off." he said quietly as they all stared watching Fan fight the Deacon, the one who carried something belonging to her. "She's possessed, she fights like a daemonic would." Timsa said.

"That is because she is possessed, that is why we were instructed to guard her. And also why the Inquisition kept coming for her." Kestre said quielty, She was right, Fan was possessed by a daemon, but had very little control over it. yet apparently both Fan and the Daemon within her wanted something the deacon carried on his belt. Gera noticed it first.

"Her fan, the Deaconite has her fan. She wants it back, winner takes the prize, or dies." He said calmly, sholduering his plasma rifle. taking aim at the Deaconite, whos back was to them all. A perfect shot was all it would take, a single, perfect, shot to the back......

Gera laughed as he fired, the plasma bolt hitting the deacon in the head. The deacon fell to the ground, his head blown apart by the plasma shot. Pretas nodded in approval.

"Well done Gera. You have done me...."

Pretas stopped as several dozen soldiers ran around the corner firing lasguns at him.

"Everyone behind me now!"

Pretas raised his hands over his head and unleashed a warp storm at the approaching soldiers. More than half of them were obliterated by the storm. The rest were driven insane by the visions of monsters, their weapons laid forgotten on the pavement. Pretas turned.

"Go quickly! Back to the ship!"

With a shriek of pure triumph Fan grabbed her only other item she carried before being taken captive as the deacon fell to the ground dead, a hole in the back of his head, two men saw her and ran in her direction, screaming like madmen, she reacted and out of pure seklf defense slashed out with her rigjht hand, catching one in the forehead, leaving three holes in it, the man hit the griound dead, the rest bolted, too much too soon, the daemon was loose in the jail! It took almost everything Hieden had in keeping his temper in check as he called to Fan, the enemy was cleared, it was time to flee while they still had the chance. She glared at him for a heartbeat before the daemon went quiet and Fan fainted to the ground, exhausted

Meanwhile on Holy Terra;......

Ni-Fang guided the Spirit of Silence to the ground near the silver ringed mountain, she had listened to Gera's report, seething within, yet knowing that Hieden might have been plkanning things better and easier then before. Soon she'd be reunited with a friend. And sooner still she'd find out what exactly the key unlocked.

They had been back on the Dawn for a short whille when Hieden got the vox from Ni-Fang to make all speed for Holy Tera. There wasn't much to do for a while so Linelle decided in good wisdom, Fan badly needed a bath. THe problem was the poor girl had been so neglected in the prisons, at most the warders threw a bucket of water over her. She didn't fear the water, it was the suds that seemed to put her hackles up. Linelle in frustration called for help, Kestre and Andea came in and smartly shut the door on the faces of two of the male crew trying to get a look.

Between the three women they managed at last to bathe her, dress her in a lovely red outfit and put her hair into the traditional long plait the eldar women such as Linelle wore. It wasnt that Fan was stronger, even with her daemon, Linelle was stronger than most men, even a few of the hideous deamon as well. It was just that poor Fan was so quick, and the extra hands were needed to keep her still. At least she remembered modesty, Linelle threatened to allow all the men in to watch, if the daemon in Fan was not kept in check.

Finally she was ready, and they took her to the bridge, on seeing Hieden standing there, she ran to him and threw her arms around him. "Diae." Was all she had to say.

Hieden smiled and hugged Fan, Linelle though gave him a hard look, Hieden shook his head slightly, mouthing the words, "I'll tell you later" It had been fifteen years since he had seen Fan. Even without being cleaned up she was very pretty. But even more so now in the polished red dress of Lokikaen design. The fact being Fan herself was of Lokikiaen decent helped a lot as well.

Hieden stood there enar the front viewport of the Dqawns bridge with Pretas arrived, he carried something in a dark oak colored box of some sort. "Ah, it has arrived." Hieden said spotting Pretas and the box he carried, with a nod Pretas opened the box and heled it towards Fan.

Who stared slackjawed at what laid within the dark oak box. Releasing Hieden from the hug she reached into the box and removed the ionly item with it. A solid white Lokikaen folding battle fan, her battle fan no doubt, as it had the various dents in its metal limbs, but it was repaired, there were no more burn marks on the edges nor in the fan faberic itself anymore. She had two things that day so far, the first being reunited with her Diae, and the second her battlefan also being within her grasp once more.

All she needed now was a place to think. With so much as a look towards one fo the crew, Fan left the briodge in search of a quiet place to think. Leaving Hieden to be cornered by his wife.

"Diae?" Linelle asked looking at him as if he had cheated on her before the two were married.

"Lokikaen for 'father' dear." Hieden replied. Remember the translation that Ni-Fans own father had said it for him fifteen years ago. "Consider her your eldest daughter, adopted daughter at that as I took her in after she was found not far from where her family's ship was left dead in the warp" he then explained how he had then taken in the infant as his own to raise mostly at the request of Johen himself to keep the girl with a family. Ni-Fang too was of Lokikaen decent on her mothers side, her father was Terran.

"So she is our child then? a possessed child at that." She rubbed her chin where Fan had slugged her a good one. Dang she was fast, even without her daemon Fan could kill a man berfore the man knew what was going on. Hiow had she done the blue claws stances? Weren't those long lost arts from dozens of thousands of years ago? At least Fan was now clean and her hair untangled.

The Dawn should have arrived on Holy Terra, but an unforeseen breakdown in the warp drive cooling units had forced the ship to travel on sublight engines only. Hieden had his new engineer working on it furiously, as messages to and from Ni-Fang said only one thing. Get a bloody move on!

Linelle and Kestre took the time to be with Fan, she had suffered so much during her imprisonment and the two eldar wanted to make sure she could interact once more with civilisation. They started with basic education, for Fan had only a rudimentry grasp of language, such was the harsh conditions the Imperium had set upon her, and it was when they decided to have the Priests of Nine watch over her, did she receive any kindness at all.

The task was relatively easy, for Fans daemon, though not in control, allowed her to learn at a pace it would take mere mortals ages to accomplish. Next came a little poise and decorum, befitting a young woman, manners and finally math and science, by the time Hieden had announced they were within half a day of Holy Terra, Fan was ready to greet the new world. All in three days. In the last moments before the Dawn was in her final entry pattern into the planet, Fan thanked Linelle and Kestre warmly, to the last she called Jie (sister) and Linelle, Niang (mother), she hugged them both for quite a while until the announcement came over the ships system, they would be landing near the Spirit in a few moments.

The surroundings looked peaceful, tall trees and running streams, skittish animals that no one could name, darted here and that. No one that is until something in Fan was recalled, she pointed to the first she saw amongst the trees, deer, then badger she looked skywards and heard a screeing sound, eagle she said as she saw the majestic flying creature swoop on the winds. Linelles heart swelled with pride.

Some of the Dawns crew stayed aboard, more for rest than anything else, the rest, Hieden, Linelle, Fan, Pretas, the three of the Nine and Gera, along with eight of his men, walked the thousand odd meters to the Spirt, they were greeted by Ni-Fang and Galaxya, the remainder of that ships crew attending to long awaited maintenance. On seeing Ni-Fang, Fan ran to her and scooped her and twirled her around, they laughed and giggled like very young girls, which Hieden had to remind himself, to him they were.

"Jie, its been so long." Fan said as she released the Spirits captain. Ni-Fang was taken aback by two things, firstly by Fans eloquant speech, and secondly by the younger womans strength, she silently thought her ribs were bruised. She turned to Linelle and Hieden.

"It seems your crew Captain is in a habit of getting into trouble, you have caused me great pains with the God-Emperor, regarding your little escapade on Mars Station." She stood there looking like thunder, but then broke into a smile. "You should have seen his face, when he heard the most secure prison in the Imperium had lost four of its residents, it was worth it, I wish I had been with you."

Hieden grinned back. "Next time Captain, next time." He looked about the terrain, woods and mountians, hills and more woods. "So where and when do we start our search?"

"At first light. Well set up a base camp here, weve all been cramped up in our ships far too long, and I want spend the afternoon hunting and seeing what other foods nature can provide us with." Ni-Fang said as she laid a cloth covered bundle on the ground, she knelt to unwrap it and revealed an ancient long bow and yard shafts. During Hiedens time as Ni-Fangs sometime caretaker and adopted uncle, he read to her many stories that had been passed down through the ages, Robin of Loxley was her favourite, and the bow she made herself, based on those tales.

"Im going with you." Fan said joyously. "I will go as well". Linelle added and finally the hunting party consisted of only women, Kestre and Galaxya joining them. "Well Captain." Ni-Fang said with a wry smile on her face to Hieden. "It looks as if youll be supervisng the setting up of camp, I expect fires to be burning when we return." With that she picked up bow and shafts and a little cortege of women set of into the nearest trees.

"Women." Was all Hieden could say.

"Yes sir, women alright." Pretas added.

As the group headed into the woods Linelle spoke up first, "Since first seeing you fight, I have wondered something." She saidto Fan, who looked at her curiously, wondering what she meant, though she rarely spoek her voice sounded strained, similar to that of Cirir's own voice. "Who taught you the Blue Claw Stance? That's an ancient times stance from eons ago."

"When I was wandering, after Diae had left." Fan said slowly, remembering the news of Diaes 'death' and how it had hurt her, and caused her to never speak for fifteen years. letting her daemon 'do the talking' for the pair of them. "I came upon a world that took me in as a student. The teacher there taught me what she could before she was killed by those that held me." She looked towards Kestre, "It was not your kind that had slain her, but humankind. Soldiers." She went quiet then, obviusly not wanting to speak about it anymore.

"The fact in point," Ni-Fang said speaking up. "Is that we are together again, Diae too was worried for your safety, he told me everything, he called on the Emperor to help you, yet the soldiers he placed after you seemed wanting to kill you instead of take you to safety. Diae was ready to send his own soldiers to bring you to Lokika where you'd be safe, but the Nine got to you first when they were under sway of the darkhold." She then explained of the current state of the God-Emperor, he was nothing more then a shattered husk, speaking only mentally with others. The hardest part was matching wills with him when she broke the news to him of Mars Stations prison being broken and four of its residents being removed.

_Nothing ever was easy was it? Ni-Fang thought as she entered the throne room once more, this time devoid of anything living within the room, be it man or animal, not even a single space marine, nor Imperial guardsman. Giving the Emperor a hard look as the door sealed behind her she mentally asked him, 'What is this about?'_

_'You should know this yourself!' He answered her, showing her brioef mental images of the body found ont he floor near Fans cell. Hieden has been busy, she mused. 'You request the freedom of the one within this cell, and i have granted it, yet while you requested it, she was taken from here. No doubt by your personal doing before going to me?'_

_Ni-Fang shook her head, 'No, I sent my second ship to Mars Station for refit and refuel, it was after I had spoken to you were they to remove from your custody my sister.' she replied calmly._

_'Lies!' The God-Emperor mentally hissed, all but screeching int her ears. Forcing her to grab at her head. Fighting the daemon within her for control. It was not time yet, not now!_

_Let me reveal myself to him, her daemon thought to her, Let me keep you from his wrath!_

_Do not let it last longer then it must. Ni-Fang thought back, allowing her daemon to come forth and present itself. For two heartbeats there was nothing, and then there was an explosion within the throne room as Ni-Fang disappeared from view as a dark golden robed being appeared in her place. it was her daemon. With Ni-Fang within it!_

_With a growl the God-Emperor mentally attacked the daemon before him. explosions of wild energy destorying the floor in many areas before the god emperor finally gave in. 'It seems you are stronger then i have once thought Ni-Fang daughter of merchants, when you see your sister, tell her,' He seemed to mstruggle to say the next few words. 'Tell her.... I am sorry for how my men have treated her. If there is a way that I can make it up to her, please, let me know of what I am to do. She has grace like yourself, to do as she likes. Regardless of heritige.'_

_That was the last thing Ni-Fang remembered clearly before the Daemon with back within herself. Taking a deep breath she bowed deeply to the God-Emperor. 'I do not know of how Fan will forgive, or what she may do, but I do know this, her daemon is not easy to forgive then my own. If it pleases you, i will leave, and inform my crew of this meeting of our aggreement.' With those words she turned and left._

Fan said nothing, apparently she was a free woman again, free to do as she liked before she was taken ten years before, her fan was also repaired, good as new. But one thing still bothered her. So she spoke aloud, "You have it then?"

"Yes" Ni-Fang said removing the dark green three pronged key from the folds in her robes. "nearly died fighting for it as well with a Laraxan." At mention of the Laraxan, Fan growled something, clearly the daemon had taken control. 'what is it, Jie?' Ni-Fang mentally asked.

'Laraxans, they mean darkness for us all, what do you seek, Jie? Do you seek safety in numbers, or death in valor?' Fan replied mentally.

'What do you mean?' Ni-Fang asked. Linelle and the other two had gone ahead, leaving them to talk alone.

'It was not until I killed one Laraxan male did I begin to be hunted by the imperium. I fear I may have drawn them to you.' Fan said looking downwards. Ni-Fang placed a hand on her shoulder.

'Jie, it is not so. You are my sister, and there is nothing in the galaxy that will keep us apart, ever again, even if we have to destroy the core of Chaos itself, nothing will seperate us ever again.' Ni-Fang hugged Fan then, the other girl returning the hug. even with the daemon in control apprenetly allowing Fan to have most body functions to herself, not including her voice. Twenty minutes later, both girls had arrowed a deer each. When Linelle, Galayxa and Kestre had gotten nothing.

It was time to head back to camp. But Ni-Fang could not help but worry if Fans words were true, had she drawn the Laraxans to Holy Terra? Or had there been a mole before hand to inform the large chaos infused fleet to invade and take by force what was not theirs?

Linelle was somewhat miffed at Fan and Ni-Fang's kill, her, Kestre and Galaxya were unarmed except for a short knife they all wore on their belts. Well her and Kestre at least could have brought down the deer with a knife throw, but it wasnt the same. She walked ahead of the other tow and caught up with those two she now considered as daughters.

"May I see the bow for a moment". She asked Ni-Fang, who of course at first wondered thenheld it out for her and the quiver of yard shafts as well.

Linelle took two arrows and planted them in the soft earth at her feet. She cast her eyes about the forest, took note of the soft afternoon ripples of shadow being cast, scanned the undergrowth with her hearing, then produced a scarf from within her jacket and tied it around her face covering her eyes. Then with swift and deft movements the others except Fan, could not follow, she had layed bow arrows and fired them, one into the trees, the other low into the undergrowth where a loud squeeling could be heard. All the other women just stared at her as Linelle removed the scarf, Fan ran into the scrub, and moments later was dragging a large boar by the hindlegs, an arrow straight through the chest.

"Remarkable." Ni-Fang said in amazement as she looked at the animal, then composed herself, not wanting to give the eldar too much praise. "But your other shot was wasted Linelle." Looked deep into the trees and saw the arrow stuck firmly in a tree some forty meters away.

"I think not my dear Captain." She walked casually in amongst the trees and picked up a large bunch of spring vine berries. "An army cannot survive on meat alone, I suggest we find more and some root vegetables as well before we return." She said smugly. The others looked up at where Linelle had fired, and there halfway up a fairly hidden pine, was a vine berry plant, wound around the host tree, laden with rich fruit. Ni-Fang dould only manage a Hmmph. As she watched Linelle go searching for other vegetation. Fan joined her new Niang, and cast a quick look back at her sister, poking her tongue out for satisfaction.

The camp was laid out near to the sheltered port side of the Spirit, all the crews of both ships had a veritable feast, and soon the embers of the fires were giving a comforting glow as they slept in their blankets. The night airs of early spring were still chilled, but with a full belly no one suffered from the cold. A light snoring could be heard here and there and Linelle snuggled close to Hieden, in his sleep he instinctively placed his arm around her, she had not felt this safe for ages.

A little distance away, Fan sat up, she had been dreaming and her daemon stirred restless within. She looked hard at the outline of a mountain top not too far behind the Red Dawn, and remembered her days on the run what seemed ages long ago. Images came to her of finding refuge for a while in what may have been a cavern, or some kind of ruined building covered with natures time, nestled in the crannies of that same mountain. She wondered, was this the place her sister sought? She turned over and slept, but the images kept invading her dreams of time she spent in this very place, until the Imperium soldiers caught her as she scavanged for food. Tomorrow will reveal if I am right. Was her last thought as she finally slept.

In the morning the camp was broken up, gear cleaned and stowed aboard the Spirit.i-Fang was anxious to get started, she had barely washed and dressed when Fan ran to her and told her of the dream she had. "Here Jie, you were captured here?"

"Yes, Im sure of it. That mountain there is distinctive, I remember it well."

"Very good, well begin there." Ni-Fang said as she placed an arm around her sister.

Nearly all the crews of both ships were put on the search. A dozen or so of Geras soldiers stayed behind to guard the vessels. They combed the escarpment on their way up, using metal and energy sensors all the way. At last they indeed found Fans cavern, such as it was, the ruins of some building that nature had reclaimed, giving it a cave like structure, with all the growth covering it. But there was nothing there, which was disappointing, but both Ni-Fang and Fan were sure they were in the right place. Even Pretas, and Hieden sensed something familar here. The day wore on and they were becoming weary, and Fan was about to abondon the search for the time being and start fresh the following day. Then a young soldier who had found evidence of metal with his sensor, and had started digging some time earlier shouted out.

"Captain, ma'am, over here."

They all ran to him and saw what he had unearthed. A round hatch like cover about two meters in diameter, with a tri-star keyhole near the edge. Fans heart nearly jumped into her mouth. She inserted her prize and turned, a soft hiss was heard as thousands of years of trapped air was released. Hieden and Gera lifted the cover high and a deep dark vertical shaft sank below, a bright metal ladder clung to one side, corroded by time further down. Pretas ignited a flare torch and dropped it in, they watched as it fell, and finally they could still see it perhaps some sixty or so meters down.

"Thats a long climb Ni-Fang." Linelle said softly.

"And that is why youre going first" The Captain replied with a wicked grin.

Hieden stared at Ni-Fang, was she crazy? sending a mother with child first? The look she gave him though showed she was joking as Fan climbed up onto the rims edge and looked down. 'I'll go first, it feels familar to me' She thought to Ni-Fang, who nodded and held Linelle back from stopping Fan. Fan's daemon could protect her in harsh weather and other things as well. Without so much as grabbing the ladder (which was mostly rusted out) Fan pretty much dropped without a sound into the shaft. landing without a sound sixty meters below her vision cleared as her eyes changed from their normal dark green to ruby red as the daemon looked about.

'It is dusty, try not to breathe too much.' She mentally reported. there was also an inch of water on the floor, and the sounds of a river enarby was heard a minute later as she ventured into the pipe system.

Up top Ni-Fang reached over and removed the key she had gvien to Fan to use, there was most likely more items to unlock with it. Then she too dropped down the shaft without a sound. Everyone else either stayed guard at the shafts brim or followed the two girls down.

Fan found a rusted out grate in the end of the pipe, a dead end so to speak, the sounds of a rushing river closer. More overhead, water driped steadliy into the pipe, but nothing too major. With a slash the grate fell away and also fell apart. Time had reduced the metal into rock and wood apparently. Stepping out of the pipe and standing upright for once Fan got a clearer look around. There was a sealed stone wall directly ahead. With a tripronged keyhole in its center.

'Do you think it will work?' Fan sent to Ni-Fang as the other arrived next to her and also noticed the keyhole.

Flipping the key in her hands Ni-Fang smiled. 'only one way to find out' She replied in thought crossing over the ankledeep water to the otherside of the stonehendge hall. Sliding the key int ohe lock, it turned without a sound, the door started to lift then, reacting fast Ni-Fang grabbed the key before it was lost. Directly in front of them was a long hallway, the thundering of water lourder now and water seen seeping through some of the stone walls, and a good three inches of same on the floor showed time and mother nature had been at work for a long time.

Stepping forwards and looking up Ni-Fang noticed another shaft, leading upwards. It was five minutes later that would be their path out. If they didn't cause any cave ins. 'what do you think?' Ni-Fang asked Fan, who moved on ahead. She found what appeared to be a button of sorts. pressing it for a moment there was a spark, and then a explosion as power surged then died. 'we can still see pretty well.' Ni-Fang thought

'yes, we can, but what of the others aside from Niang?' Fan thought back.

'Good point' Ni-Fang replied. They then waited for the rest to show up with them. it was truly dusty within that cave system.


	7. Chapter 7

Rogue Trader; season one  
Episode Seven; Double Agent

On the Spirit the new navigator was busy at work with setting up a firewall and sending out a databurst giving off information of his location, and what was going on, there was something the Captain was after within the mountain, and also that there was another daemon working with the captain, a young woman. He also sent a warning; "_Beware the Blue Claws_". What it meant only he knew before Gera spotted him.

"You are doing aomething not to be done?" The Lucifer Black said simply and quietly.

"Just ruetine system checkdown." Kran replied, a lie of coruse, but Gera was so silent Kran had no idea if the Lucifer Black had been there for a long time or not.

"Ruetine system checks are performed as per norm, yet reading system logs, then deleting tracing of going there." Gera said, Kran paled. How did he know?

"Alright, you caught me, I admit it, I was working for the Laraxans, they offered better pay to me." Kran said, he pointed to the screen showing Gera was he had actually done instead. "They cut their offer to me by two thirds from their original price, so I'm leading them here to be dealt with by the daemons. outside the ship looking for the item the key unlocks." Gera noticed the log hadn't been removed, mentionings of movements and such.

Yet he kept his pistol on him, "Say i believe you. What side are you now on, Navigator? I could kill you here and now, and inform the captain of what is going on. But I think I willtake your word for it. Proving you are trustworthy enough you make me wonder, what do you mean by that warning? Is that to turn them aside?" Gera said

"No, that is ot draw trhem in, the Laraxans are after something on Holy Terra, but the only way for them to get it is to work with Ni-Fang, knowing her she wont work with them as they tried to kill her."

"True, so what then."

"I've been working on that thought." Kran replied and outlined his plan to have the ships both made ready, he had devised a system to make it look like a pair of old broken down ships. A good desguise. That had worked twice before.....

The first area's of the underground system looked part of nature and part man made, as time had overtaken things in it's usual way, the shifting of the Earth's plates had affected so much in 40,000 years. But then Fan came to another section, with a solidly built wall of uncorroded stainless steel reaching from floor to cavern ceiling and filling the width of the chamber. In the centre was a single door closure, made of the same untarnished material. There was no key hole here but all of them, as they crowded into the space, sensed this was their goal.

"Now what?" Pretas asked as he looked everywhere for some kind of latch or lever.

"Perhaps it is sealed from within." Fan said

Hieden walked up to the door and ran his hand over it, feeling the perfect seal. "It's hermetically sealed, what ever be inside there, will be preserved as th' day it be closed. Captain, when we found a way t' get in, we'll be a walkin' in t' our history."

Ni-Fang nooded in agreement, but was a little frustrated by any lack of lock mechanism, the door looked to be quite resiliant to force. "Wheres Gera?" She asked.

"I sent him back to the Spirit Captain, he asked if he could check on something." Pretas said.

"You should have checked with me first, never mind. How do we open this thing." She thumped the steel plating angrily.

"Over here, there is a panel." Kestre' called out from some two meters to the side of the door.

The panel was a box attached to the wall, it seemed to be hinged. Ni-Fang lifted the face and revealed a soft rubber like pad, green in colour, with the shape of a hand impressed into it. To one side was a set of numbered buttons one to zero. She instinctively placed her hand on the pad, but nothing happened.

"Maybe its like the tech on the Dawn, its linked to DNA or something." Andea Gunisen pointed out with her typical medtech wisdom.

"Aye lass I think ye be right. Captain ah think we perhaps all should ave a go at it. "Hieden said.

"Oh very well then, I think its a waste of time, but weve come this far, Im willing to try anything at this point." Ni-Fang said as she bit her lip, until a look from Linelle made her stop. Every day she looked more and more at Hiedens wife as if she were her mother, which made sense as Fan had already taken to the eldar.

One by one they all tried the panel until only Hieden himself was left, he placed his hand over the pad, and a slight electrical sound was heard, then from a tiny mesh grill at the top a voice said. "Please enter your five digit code." They all looked at one another. Pretas said it was logical, but also said the random odds of getting the code right, was in the millions. Well somebody think of something. Linelle said as she studied the panel. Then for the puzzling reason Hieden entered the following. "Seven, seven, eight, five and eight" He had no idea why, it was just numbers in his head. But as soon as the last number was entered, the heavy steel door swung inward, and the electronic voice said. "Welcome Admiral MacGregor." Every face turned to him and almost all mouthed the name, Hieden just shrugged his shoulders and stepped into a long corridor, as he did, lights automatically illuminated the darkness. The first thing they all noticed was the little sign upon one wall reading Level 27 SGC.

Pretas murmured. "Level 27 SGC.....why does this place feel familiar to me?" He sensed something vaguely, it was as if it was in his bloodstream. He panned the light around the walls, his hand on his plasma pistol. He did not know what felt so familiar, but it was unnerving. He scanned the levels with his mind and saw no presence but their own. He shrugged as he walked along, approaching what appeared to be a set of stairs.

Fan traced a finger along one of the numbers, (the 7) it reselbed the Lokikaen letter E. the two resembed the Lokikaen letter R, and the rest were (in numbers) 45, 15, and 9, though she had no idea what they meant. She rubbed her temple a bit thinking quietly to Ni-Fang, 'something feels dead'

'I sense it too' She replied before speaking, "Hieden?"

"Don't bother askin' Captain, even if Ah could tell you how I knew trhe numbers, I couldn't explain in simple and in a logical way." Hieden replied as they entered what appeared to be a room, stone floor, cracked in places, and the scent of moldy water.

"That is not what I was going to ask about. But it will be on my mind for later." Ni-Fang said as Fan looked about. Ni-Fang headed off looking about, the lights were dim, stupidly dim

A gravel dry voice spoke, "It stink worse then jail cell" Apparently even with the daemon in control, Fan could speak at times. And when she did, it was not exactly well educated english, she was msotly right, forty thousand plus years of decay and movement of the earth and time passing itself. Things had changed, and nothing within that room had seen the natural light of day. Mold was seen in the stone, as if looking like a mossy carpet of sorts.

Timsa brought up the rear, his laspistol and heavybolter ready for use at a given moment, he'd taken lessons from Gera. a good soldier. But he was worried. Jinjin had been acting odd ever since their freedom had been granted through Linelle, one of their own. that and their former charge had begun to refer to Linelle, the middle of the nine, as her mother, which made things confusing for the lowest ranking member of the Nine "I don't like this place." He muttered.

Fan found a door, and what appeared to be broken glass, but was now finely ground sand. Opening the door she noticed a small room with another door, that was open kleading into another hallway of sorts of stone, the sounds of nature nearby. clacking of chirpets and the scent of broken items were clearly caught in the Lokikaens well bred nose.

There came a startled shout as Ni-fang found the stairs, took one wrong step, and went to the bottom, landing with a gut wrenching crash onto something far below. and also a splash, and a few colorful words (that wont be translated here.) Pretas was closest to her and went down the steps, finding himself in thigh deep water at what appeared to be a room of some sort. that overlooked a larget cavern like room with a stainless untouched by time, stell ramp, but to what? nothing was there. Nothing at all. Save for a single dark brown item set into the wall.

"What is it?" Ni-Fang asked Pretas after heh ad helped her to her feet, the captain was soaked in dirt brown water, her beautiful white hair now dirty. But apparently she did not seem to notice as her attention was drawn directly towards the item that Pretas was staring at. "What is it?" She repated to him.

Ni-Fang was soaked and angry, "Now I must dry off somewhere, look for a suitable place where I can do so in private." She said to everyone and then joined with Hieden as he led his group in a northerly direction.

The deeper and further they explored the more fascinating it became, on every turn, as they approached lights came on and the sound of some power source could be heard as a low hum. Ni-Fang who by now had dried off in the warm air, with Fan, Linelle and Hieden were attracted to a large open side room with an orange/brown console standing in the centre. They all walked around it, examining it when Ni-Fang looked at Hieden cheekily. "Alright Mr Golden Hand see if you can work your magic here."

Hieden had no idea whatsover ever what to do, so he just waved his hand over the main panel of the console.

A sudden whooshing noise and then swirling of colours appeared before them, then the colours coalesced into a uniformed blonde haired woman, about Hieden's age. "Greetings, I am Lt. General Samantha Carter, I am a interactive hologram........."

She went on to exlpain how to use the device, gave a history of the facility she called Stargate Command. Told them of the alien structure they would find on this level that the people of her time used to travel to other worlds, how it worked and so on. She explained how she witnessed the coming war on the planet she called Earth, internal not from any other world, that forced many too flee to outer galaxy by ships, and how the facility was sealed in the event one day, their ancestors would return. She said the last person to leave was the SGC's last commander, Admiral William MacGregor.

"That name again, the one the machine identified you as Star." Linelle said.

"Hmmm, General, can you show us images of some of these people that were here?" Ni-Fang asked.

"Of course, who would you like to see?" The hologram replied.

"Start with William MacGregor." The image swirled and then above the blonde head, portraits appeared, so life like, they were going through a sequence when Fan said stop.

"Who is this?" She asked as they all stared at the picture that could be no other than Pretas, if he were there with them.

"Captain Frank Lorenzo, USMC, Doctor, killed in battle trying to save the life of another soldier, 13th August 2014" The hologram continued showing the displays until it stopped of it's own accord.

"Admiral William Angus MacGregor, Royal Navy, last commander of the SGC, last status, fleet commander of starfleet, fate unknown. January 2nd, 2016....last entry."

No one could believe what they saw, as the face of Hieden looked down upon them.

Ni-Fang stared, ok this is getting creepy, Turning to Hieden she gave him a look that said, "Well?" Even Linelle and Fan hwere giving him that look, everyone else was alertaning watching the reaction of Pretas, and Hieden.

"Like I said it would be too hard ot explain, but there's nine of down here, so it might be all good, that guy looks like me, if you believe in reincarnation, I might have been him, but I can tell you for sure, I don't know what is going on, i know as much as you do." Hieden explained as best he could.

Ni-Fang then asked the Hol!Carter the following question; "Admiral MacGregor's records please."

For a few seconds the holo said nothing before saying, "I am sorry, my responses are limited to the proper questions. Access level for such request to be granted must be input directly by one of proper rank."

Blah, Ni-fang thought, even a holo was crazy and to the point, and here she was, a merchant ship captain. So she asked another question, "What is the key?"

A heartbeat passed before Holo!Carter explained. "The key was designed to seal within Colorado Mountain the Stargate Command complex. The Key was then left within the family line of MacGregor of Sarchost system." A picture of the very same key that Ni-Fang held was shown. only cleanr and well kept looking. Ni-Fang raked a hand through her hair, noticing brown dirt on her hand, and still wet mud she secretly thought and hoped there was nothing living in the water she had unneedingly took a bath in.

Hieden asked a question next, "Year of last recording date?"

Holo!Carter stopped for a nanosecond before saying simply, "Access granted, Welcome home Admiral, What may I do for you?" Now things were confusing, Hieden asked. "records of Admiral MacGregor please." A heartbeat later the records appeared. As they did Hieden said, without knowing it, "Starship plans and designations" Pictures of starships appeared, one fo them looking similar to the dawn yet more streamlined and not as gothic like. Not exactly a Shunskimer class vessel Ni-Fang thought.

At least they were getting a few answeres, out of total boredom Fan asked while pointing at the picture of Pretas as Dr Frank Lorenzo, "Homeworld?"

Holo!Carter replied insntaly, "Suliris Icarus in the Australis Sector." A holo appeared of the milky way, zooming in on where the planet Astralis was located, though Pretas barely remembered the world, a void world, recently fought over and wrested from the Empire by a groupo of Xenos

Pretas was stunned as he walked to the computer core

"What is this thing?"

He put a hand on it shakingly.

"That thing, it feels familiar to me..."

He ran his hands over it and it started to glow as the Ancient crystals activated. A voice replied.

"DNA coding recognized. DNA is a 92% match. Authorization granted for full access. Welcome back, High Councilor Amann. The date is 42,010 Earth Standard Year. Time is 4:33 pm Mountain Time."

Pretas looked at the machine.

"What the hell? File access on High Councilor Amann."

"Granted."

Data flowed as a hologram of Amann appeared in his white Alesian armor. The symbol of the gold Alesian eagle was emblazoned on his chest.

Seeing the data scroll past, Ni-Fang had tro wonder what exactly she had gotten herself into when she accepted the job from Jones. "TechPriest, how is it this machine has gotten both yourself and that of my first mate, names wrong, yet hasd the pictures of yourselvs in plain view?" She was ready to kill something right then and there if it were not for Fan in the room she would have done just that. "Tell me everything, you are a alpha plus psyker for a reason, this man no doubt, one of your bloodline of long ago?" her Vox chirped, it was Cirir. "What is it?"

"Captain, we have incoming ships."

"Colors?"

"They are not flying any. I think they are Laraxan."

That was not good. "power down the ship, act as if dead on the planet surface, if any ships come near to the ships to land, destroy them. If you can't do that, improvise....." She said, normally whenever she said to "improvise" when one was having unwanted guests she normally ment traps, and as many nailbombs as possible. She turned to everoyne else, "we have unwanted company, if we are to get what we came for what else does the key unlock?"

The answer came direcftly from the hologram, "Teir seven of cellblock two, sublevel 24, dubbed the 'headgrabber room' by Major General Jack O'Niell."

"Smart arse" Ni-Fang muttered as she turned to Hieden, and the others, "here's the plan, Fan pretas and I will go to this room to find what is there, if it is an item of import that is moveable we'll meet the rest of you at the ships. if not there ar the Golden Throne. And if you go against my orders I'll kill you all personally." With that thought lingering in the air everyone agreed, it would be best to see sunlight again. The three headed off. Ni-Fang leading, and Pretas taking up the rear, trying to remember what exactly he could try to remember of the place

Pretas muttered.

"High Councilor Amann.....what does it mean?"

Pretas felt the name was familiar. Wasn't his great grandfather called that, but no way that was him. His grandfather had blond hair. Not the dark hair and pale face of the one called Amann. Pretas frowned as he remembered the sector name from the hologram as he moved. He spoke unknowingly.

"Alesia.....xenos.....wait......that High Councilor.....he was wearing the armor those xenos had in the picture you showed me Ni-Fang! Their homeworld is called Alesia!

Ni-Fang stared at her Techpriest. "The creature in the voxvid?" She asked him, Pretas nodded, it had to be! "lets get whatever this key unlocks, then get away from here, if the laraxans got wind of us finding what the key opens they'll be after it." The two groups nodded and parted ways.

Once tjhe larger group had left leaving Ni-Fang, Fan and Pretas alone Fan mentally asked them both, 'Can we trust a machine?'

'We must' Pretas replied as gently as he could, mental speaking as a psyker normally hurt iothers without intending to do just that.

'The Laraxans tried to kill me for the key, Uncle Hammer got his ships design from here, the Dawn was created from that machine and the key given to Jones, no doubt his family is same as Hiedens own. lets go.'

Gera walked along in his Lucifer Black armor, the tactical glasses showing the only part of his face. He was cold, calculating as he swept the halls heading to the cargo bay.

As soon as he was on the ship, Hieronyma and the few others that had stayed aboard ran over, their eyes curious and frantic at the same time. "What is going on?" Hieronyma asked in a whisper.

Gera looked at her. He spoke coldly. "Nothing to be concerned about. Get back to your quarters."

Hieronyma flinched back at his cold words, her eyes frightened. Who was this strange man anyway. "We are a member of the crew w-we have a right to know," she said after a moment, quivering.

"You have a right to know nothing, Sister. Go back to your quarters." Gera looked at her, his hand fingering his plasma pistol.

The others had already gone, with only Hieronyma remaining. She retreated a few steps. "S-Sister? W-what?" Confusion marked her features.

"I know that you are a Sister of Battle, more than likely here to kill my master, Techpriest Pretas."

Damn that Pretas! Why did he have to be so paranoid? Why did no one trust her. Hieronyma shook her head fiercely, her lank black hair falling in her face. She peered at Gera timidly. "I am not a Sister of Battle. I have had no affiliation with them, either."

"Of course you would say that, but remember this. I am watching you and one wrong move on your part will end.......badly for you." Gera let the words hand deliberately as he smirked behind his mask.

Hieronyma screamed, and ran. She ran until she got to her quarters, and then collapsed on the floor, crying. She buried her face in her hands.

The whole frakking galaxy hated her.

On the Spirit Jinjin watched as Gera confronted the TechMedic, the women fled the Lucifer Black in haste, something was going on between the two. Jinjin stepped forwards. Having heard everything, "Sister of Battle? Her? I think not. What you should be doing Lucifer Black, is portecting your creator." Jinjin had an agenda, and this one was causing him troubles of unwanted means. "If you are so shalow to assume that TechMedic Galayxa is a Sister of Battle, you are not only totally offthe mark, but also slightly there, for she was part of a Sisters of Battle Detachment fifteen years ago, yet she was not under their sway."

"What are you meaning Eldar?" Gera said his hand straying to his laspistol.

"Simple, it is not her you are to worry about." Jinjin replied drawing out his own laspistol and firing, catching Gera in the side of the head with a stunbolt. The Lucifer black hit the deckplates of the Spirit of Silence with a dull thud, Jinjin then dragged him to a cargo container and tossed him in. Now to have the Laraxans land nearby and get the key from Ni-Fang. And keep Fan to myself for later uses. he thought darkly with a smile on his face.

He headed for the bridge. Unaware at Cirir was watching him, Jinjin never had much care for the mutants onboard, considering them nothing more then misshapen ugly people with a really bad illness that forever marred their features. Though Cirir was known to have restless leg syndrome at times, which made for some pretty good music.

Kran had finished with his checkdown for the day and was leaving the bridge. He nodded a greeting to Jinjin as he passed the Eldar, Good none on the bridge. Jinjin though seeing the place empty, even of mutants. he sealed the door, locking it from within. Then going to the nvaigator station, and deciding trhat hiding was not needed anymore he begain typing out orders for landing, and also boardcasting their location, and also giving off a note of a Lucifer Black that has been taken care of.

Then he got a reply; "Lucifer Black? Are you sure?"

he responded; "Yes, I knocked him out and locked him within a cargo container upon this ship. The Captain is ashore looking for what the key unlocks, you remember our deal?"

The response; "Yes, but the Lucifer Black, where there is one, there are more, until we killed them all off."

Jinjin replied; "My price has doubled for payment. Because of unwanted troubles and the Lucifer Black, the ship is cleared and the captain ashore looking for the item unlocked by the key. You have my location Laraex."

Laraex replied; "This had better be good Dark Eldar! You will have your payment, and keep both daemon possessed women when this is done with."

Jinjin replied; "And what of Linelle Trasker, the killer of the Keeper of the Nine?"

Laraex replied with a question; "What is she to you?"

Jinjin answered; "No matter, it is just odd that she was the one that freed the daemon possessed woman, and also tamed her within three days from Mars to Holy Terra....."

Laraex replied; "This is a new development, very well Dark Eldar, you may name your price now."

Jinjin smiled and typed this reply; "My price is doubled in Imerpium credits, plus Linelle Trasker, Both Daemon possessed women, and the ship, the Red Dawn. Everything and everyone else, you may have. Do we have an accord?"

Laraex for a monent said nothing before this was typed out; "You strike a hard bargan Dark Eldar, we accept. You get your payment, the ship of your chosing, and the three you named. Everything else is ours."

Jinjin smiled, it was all going according to plan.


	8. Chapter 8

Rogue Trader; season one  
Episode Eight: Double Cross

Ni-Fang had Pretas lead the way, As the three headed for the 'headgrabber room' she spoke aloud, "The voxvid creature in white, you think the holovox had them in its databank?" They turned a corner and went up a flight of stairs.

"I don't know" Pretas answered, "I only know this, I didn't make Gera for a reason, I knew I needed protection, but how I created him I can't actually remember."

"So asking you to make my own army, clones of a Lucifer Black with their training encoded into them. Would be a not happening?" Ni-Fang pressed. She neded answers, and so far only Pretas seemed to have some of them. "If this group of Xenos comes from the Astralis Sector, that's beyond the Kronos Expanse, how could they be there when it hasn't been explored yet?"

"I fear we have worse trouble" Fan said speaking up seeing what awaited at the door, apparently someone had gone Lokikaen and the door design had the keyhole in the middle of it. She pointed at the keyhole. "It wood, not metal" A low growl was heard from her as the daemon within Fan vied for control for a moment before Ni-Fang stepped up and gave a hard WHACK against the wood of the door in the steel fram, it broke open at her touch. as if springing away from her skin.

Ni-Fang smiled, "Hieden" she said into her vox, "We found it." The three were staring at something embedded into the stone wall. made of bronze.

"Good lass," Came Hiedens reply, "Have a care Captain, it is not called headgrabber for nothing." The vox clicked off. How did he knew that?

Fan stepped closer to the item and it seemed to pull from the stone wall, but it didn't do anything more as Fan looked into it. "What do you see?" Pretas asked.

"Sparks, multicolored lights" Came the reply as Fan stepped out of the way ot let him look, but Pretas too saw the same thing. "Now what?" Fan asked as Ni-Fang stepped up and looked into the thing, it pulkled from the wall even more.

"Whoa.. wha... gah..." The hands from the headgrabber database form and held Ni-Fang there for a half a minute. As if it was to give the information to her. It then retreated into the wall, dead. The information from it drained. Blinking for a minute Ni-Fang spoke something in Lokikaen, "That was different. Whoo, sparks you said? Not exactly says i, more like white light of death."

"I saw sparks, the item did nothing to myself or to TechPriest Pretas" Fan replied, thankfully even wit the Daemon within Ni-Fang the information would take several months to a year or so before causing any thing noticeable to the woman. "Come on, lets go," the room shook as something far above begain ot land. "We need to go, this place will rattle apart if we stay within it any longer!" Fan said in Lokikaen, Pretas nodded and led the way to a shaft, not entirely knowing where he ws going, only knowing the direction of up. Seeing the now open hatchway Fan asked mentally, 'How did you know it was here?'

"I didn't" Pretas replied aloud, "I knew only to go up top, find a way up top. it felt right."

"The holovox knew him as someone else, That said I trust him" Ni-Fang said blinking again to get a fog out of her eyes as the dust begain to rise. She started climbing up, Pretas taking the lead, Fan bringing up the rear. "One thing I do not understand," Ni-Fang said as they climbed. "If the holovox knew Pretas and also Hieden as another person, but looking as they do now. What is a Stargate?" there was also something else on her mind, a moon base called Pandora, Hell's Gate. Scarpped for a different location. what was that about. no Ni-Fang she told herself, stay focused on one thing at a time!

It was bound to be asked, but never by her, Pretas thought, "To tell the truth, I don't know. All i know is that our galaxy can't be traveled inside of a day, or a week, as it took us a week and a half to get from Anath to Sol. then another three days from Mars to Terra. Even with a Eldar designed and built engine, that would still take as many days. Yet those Xenos you showed me the holovox vid of a few weeks back, I think somehow. Someway, the Kronos expanse is a lot more populated then the Empire thought."

"Then we continue with our mission then. I have what Jones wanted, locked away no doubt." Ni-Fang said thoughtfully as the three stepped out onto a level, the same level they had first arrived on, the sounds of a river near and also loud. Hiedens voice came over the vox.

"Captain, we have trouble, Laraxans!!" he said.

"What?"

"It was Jinjin, he betrayed us all, Cirir found us and told us about the Eldars doings." Hieden replied.

It was all going to plan, sort of. Cirir scuttled along the corridor, he noticed the cargo container in Bay two left open, the one next to it closed yet not sealed tightly. He opened it and found Gera out cold in it. Now to help the Lucifer Black. Cirir thought picking the man up and scuttling to Galayxa's chambers in them edical bay.

Whewn Galayxa saw him she pointed to him, "keep him away" There was a dark fury in her eyes that hadn't been seen there in many many years.

"He is unconcious. stunned by a dark eldar bolter. jinjin has betrayed us, Gera was wrong to not trust you. It was Jinjin." Cirir rasply explained what he had heard and noticed through the internal mutant vox system. "jinjin stunned Gera after you fled here. he also called our enemies to us where we are. I must notify the captain, Seal yourself within this room once I leave please, I shall not be long." With those words Cirir picked up a odd looking item from the floor, and scuttled out like a shot. Galayxa nodded, maybe he was right.

Cirir found Hieden as the group the first mate was leading arrived in the old nature taken over building that Fan had taken as a hiding place before getting dragged to Mars. "Sir. I have news, you must speak to Jinjin, I fear the worst for us all. he is after Captain Ni-Fang, Lady Fan, and Lady Linelle, and also the Dawn. he betrayed our location to the Laraxans leader Laraex." He rasped.

"Damn, alright what of everyone else?" Hieden said

"Gera is unconcious, TechMedic Galayxa is with him now. Kran is in his chambers, as are the rest of the troops, they await the captains word." Cirir replied, "Apparently also Gera and TechMedic Galayxa had a chat between each other and Techmedic Galayxa fled before Jinjin arrived and stunned Gera."

"But Jinjin would not do such thing, he is an Eldar" Linelle replied.

"A dark Eldar, Lady Trasker. he wants you, Lady Fan and Captain Ni-Fang along with the Dawn, Laraex is paying him in Imperium credits in return for whatever the key unlocks."

"Not that it will do them much good" Hieden thought aloud, "I'll call the captain and inform her of this new problem." he reported it.

"We're almost to the top, we'll be there soon" came Ni-Fang replied before killing ther vox connection

Ni-Fang, Pretas and Fan had just arrived at the foot of the escarpment when she saw the first dead Laraxan soldier, killed by the power, _'Linelle or Kestre, or both'_ she thought. A few paces on and there were more, but that was no shock to her, what came next was. The Laraxan's had landed their ship a little further out than her own, but in between, making a trinagle with a clear field in between, in that space stood a Barog Master and Hieden alone. The rest of the her crew either unconscious, wounded or worse, were taking shelter beneath the Dawn's port hangar bay. Behind the Barog, stood the Laraxan commander and what little remained of his men, at the very least her crews had atoned for themselves, the Laraxan ship was as big as the Spirit, they would have had many men.

Ni-Fang and Fan ran, the inner daemon of each, taking over. Pretas launched a powerful attack of an ice storm at the beast, but it just shrugged the jagged blades of like fleas, which caught a few more of the Laraxans. As the pair came near, Hieden swung around, he was holding Anduil in from of him, a pale blue sphere surrounded him.

"Run my daughters run, there is nought ye can do here, protect the others..." He shouted louder as the Barog sprayed him with fire, that rippled down his shield like rainwater...."Run...now." He held out his hand and a blast of a pale yellow essence blew them backwards. Both looked with fear at him and as one yelled "Daie...noooooooo"

But it was too late, Hieden swept up to the Barog, and swung Anduil in an arc, that severed the beast torso, but in doing so Hieded and his shield was engulfed by the flame spewing from the black beasts stomache. When they looked again, the Barog was dead, and where Hieden was, a white coalesence of tiny stars gathered and lifted to the sky.

Linelle wounded and leaning against the landing gear of the Dawn was weakened but not down, through tears she yelled the battle cry _"Imle do rasana"_, Ni-Fang and Fan understood, and between those two, Linelle and Kestre' the last of the Laraxans were laying dead before their ship. Casually Linelle wiped her twin blades on the cloaks of her enemy, she gathered her two 'daughters' and returned to the Dawn.

"Now we wait for him." She said with tears streaming down her face. They looked at her completely puzzled, they did not understand.

"Wait?" Fan repeated. She turned to Linelle, white fury in her eyes, "Diae is dead, and yet uyou say to wait he return?" Her skill at speaking dimnishing as her daemon left her for a time, her native way of speaking taking over. The ships hadn't moved yet everything else of the Laraxans had fled.

Ni-Fang stood near the hangar doors which were open, it had started to rain. She stared out into the rain, where her uncle had been only heartbeats before. He'll be back, Hieden will be back. She mentally told herself before talking mentally to Fan, 'Hieden will be back. Somehow or another he'll return, he was lost to us once before, yet managed to live. He will be back' Somehow she knew.

Fan said nothing, casting one last dark look at Linelle she left the hangar out into the rain. Going to where the great daemon laid dead. Dropping ot her knees at the site Fan cried, tears of both rain and her own streaked her face. She called mentally, 'Why? Why Diae? I am lone again, with none!' She at beat the ground then as she recived no answer, mud splashing everywhere. But she didn't care, her diae had died before her very eyes. yet Ni-Fang said he'd return? How could one do that?!

In the midst of her screams Jinjin watched not far away. Wondering then if it was time to snatch his target, one of the three, and make a getaway, but then he noticed her pick something up.

A blade.

Now was not the time, Jinjin faded away, using a gatecraft icon to disappear into the ground, and away from that location.

Fan felt something in the mud as she splashed around in her fit, a hilt of some kind. Lifting it she found her Diae's weapon. She held it, staring atthe blade, seeing Hiedens face in its refelction instead of her own, smiling. Her face slowly set into a grim line. Never will I forget you Diae, I never forgot you while a captive, I will not forget you now. She looked up into the falling rain, letting it rinse her face as she knelt there.

The rain poured so much it begain to pool in places, Fan just knelt there. Not moving, holding Hiedens blade in one hand. She never moved even when Ni-Fang appeared next to her, she too dropped to her knees. 'He saved us both, he gave himself so we could survive, something is going on, but what it is Hieden had to go in our stead, our daemons would not have survived.' Fan was crying again, Ni-fang pulled the black haired girl into a hug, she also was crying at the loss, again, of Hieden.

it was not until the rain began to let up did the two head back to the Dawn and the Spirit. both of them soaked, yet Fan carrying Hiedens blade. When they returned to the hangar of the Dawn Linelle made to take the blade, but Fan growled something only Ni-Fang could understand, who only shook her head when Linelle looked at her for a translation, whatever Fan had growled was not exactly translatable. Ni-fang then let her friend go off on her own inside the Dawn, she locked herself in her small chamber, setting Hiednes sword on the side table, with its blade out and hilt within reach, she laid face down on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

Meanwhile in the hangar, everyone stood looking toewards Ni-fang, after Fan had left. Everyone had the same question on their faces. 'Now what?' Ni-Fang took a deep breath. Though she hated doing what she was about to. "Fan needs to be alone for a while, I would also need such time myself, yet it is not so for me, nor is is so for you Trasker." At mention of her last name Linelle looked to Ni-Fang, "We have two ships to fly, but we have to take them to MerTelCom docks at the captial. to do that we need to put our pain aside and pilot both craft there, the Spirit we will then use, you mentioned Hieden returning. Do you know of where?"

"Yes, but when I do not know" Linelle said, she could pilot a craft only so far, and towing the Dawn was out of the question.

"I want you to take the Dawn, and follow me to MerTelCom docks, I'll....." She broke off at the thought of telling her father the hard news instead of the good news. "I wil then explain to father that I lost my first mate, and need time to think. After we dock both craft, I want you to find a foster father for the child you carry." Linelle nodded, so it was to the MerTelCom dockyards on the other side of the planet. Ni-Fang then left the Dawn and headed onto the Spirit. Shortly both craft lifted off and headed away

Linelle watched as the Spirit lifted off, through tear filled eyes she guided the Dawn aloft and followed the larger ships in low flight across the mountains and forests. Rivers and long flat prairies passed below until finally the outskirts of cities could be seen, within moments it seemed they were docking at MerTelCom.

The whole flight Fan never left Linelle's side, the tall eldar, her daie's wife and mother of his child, grew more and more like her own mother she never knew every moment she was with her. Fan made an oath, and her daemon as well, that know harm would ever befall Linelle or the child she carried, a future brother or sister for her, this was an oath she would keep.

It was a sad parade Johen saw leaving the two ships, he had been voxed by his daughter on their way in, and told also there was a Laraxan ship waiting for his taking, sitting in the valley below the moutain they had just left. But he was more concerned for the welfare of the survivers of the attack. The Dawn had lost seventeen good soldiers, the ships engineer and Gera had been badly wounded, as well as another eight soldiers. The medtechs of both ships worked tirelessly, and Pretas was never far away, doing what he could with the skills he posessed. The Spirit lost twelve of her twenty soldiers, half her crew had suffered wounds and four mutants were dead, even Cirir suffered a deep wound to his pride, as a stray round clipped his shoulder, and he kept on berating himself, for not dancing fast enough.

As Ni-Fang walked down the ramp to greet her father, she collapsed in his arms from sheer exhaustion, even her daemon was taxed. Linelle and Fan lead the Dawn's crew out and came to stand next to the young Captain, Johen looked at her sadly, he guessed that something was wrong, after all this time, expecting to see Hieden with his 'lost' ship, but the man was nowhere to be seen.

"I take it, things did not go well Daughter." He said

"Not as well as it should have father...there are circumstances I will convey to you in private, but for now we all need rest."

"Yes I understand. Linelle it's good to see you again, Hieden my old friend came back from the dead I hear, if reports from Mars Station ring true. Where is he?" He asked, but he already thought he knew the answer.

Biting back tears Linelle answered simply. "Biding his time elsewhere Johen, he'll be back." With that she took Fan by the hand and headed for the dock office, Ni-Fang and her father looked at the two women walking away. And Ni-Fang repeated the words softly. "He'll be back father." Then followed in Linelle's path.

As she walked toward the large building Linelle spoke to Fan through the power of her mind, not even knowing if the girl understood. _"No Laraxan will be safe, nowhere in this galaxy can they hide."_ She was surprised to hear in her head the answer from the raven haired girl. _"No mother, none of them will be, or any agent of theirs as well."_

JinJin had used his powers to travel his own way to the docks, he knew he would be hunted now, but he was skilled at deception, he would bide his time. He watched from the shadows as two of his quarry entered the MerTelCom office building, then slipped away unseen.

Four of her personal nine were dead, that was not good, not wanted at all. She would need to replace them soon as she could. She had been shown to a room, and had locked herself in to get cleaned up, seeing only Cirir and Kran, who reported everything that happened between himself, Gera, and Cirir. Gera was being treated and healing rather well. Cirir himself seemed more or less locked in a internal struggle over the loss of four crewmen.

"They can be replaced, it is Jinjin that I want to speak to personally, fight and kill him if need be." Ni-Fang said as she spoke to both Kran and Cirir in her room. She had told her father of Hieden's skill and his sacrifice, yet knowing his knack for showing up when he needed to, as when she was looking for a crew for the first time. He was there. What she was thankful for was that Kran had offered to help raise Linelle and Hiedens child whatever gender it may be in the place of Hieden until he returned. Linelle after much debating with Fan for almost an hour, agreed, but on several terms, of which Kran had also agreed readliy on.

Johen seemed rather miffed that one of the best crewmen he had was once more gone. Yet apparently it did not seem to faze Ni-Fang much, the fact that there was a Laraxan ship in the Zhi Gui range of mountains seemed to help him a bit to keep his thoughts in order.

Ni-Fang then set about finding of new crewmen to replace the dead four, Cirir, she mused , would make for a good first mate and shall pick the four replacements. That should brighten his day....

Jinjin watched as Ni-Fang, his third target enter the main office building, apart from the building his other two targets entered. He was about to call for some backup plan to the front ofhis head when he noticed Fan leaving, she carried nothing, save for a small pack, no fan of any kind was seen on her belt or in her hands. Jinjin smiled and began following her at a distance as she headed for the market.

Fan had no idea she was being watched and followed, The Dark Eldars skill and magic also kept him hidden from the daemons senses, and also out of sight until the proper time as Fan turned a corner to head down an alley towards the market.

it was then that she stopped at the sound of the quiet voice, "Going somewhere?" She whipped around and stared at Jinjin.

"You!" She hissed pointing at him with two fingers.

Jinjin smiled and replied in a silly sounding voice, "me! But that's beside the point, the point is you are here and I am here. and you have something I want"

Fan stared at him, speaking something in Lokikaen and dropping a finger, giving Jinjin the bird before saying, "What are you talking about? You have what you wanted, Diae is dead."

"Is he?" Jinjin said stepped forwards, the glint of steel seen briefly in his hand Fan flipped backwards as the knife missed her by centimeters. She threw her own blades back at him, catching him on the arm. drawing first blood. Angered now Jinjin dashed forwards, catching Fan off guard with a solid right hook, and a knee updraft to her chin, sending her reeling backwards.

His breath came as halting and gutteral hisses. He drew a longer blade from within his coat. Holding it over Fan he said in a quiet voice, "Hieden will come back, but you wont..... little girl...." With those words Fan tried to back away from the dark eldar, but her arms and legs refused to respond, a heartbeat later Jinjins blade rammed through her heart. The pain was too much, a silent mindscream heard only to herself, and Jinjin who shrugged it off as a bad case of fleas as he wrenched the blade from her, it had started to rain again. Jinjin smiled, he really wanted to play with Fan, but there were people nearby who had heard the noise no doubt.

Jinjin hid his blade and walked away, heading through the market yet none entered the alley way. Fan was left alone. A hand clutching at her heart, where Jinjin had stabbed her. His blade had burned. As if poisoned. She felt the world go black, then felt nothing more.

Linelle felt worried for Fan so she sent Kestre' to look out for her, and not knowing the city well, she got turned around a few times with all the mixed sounds and smells. Finally her senses picked up Fan's path heading for the markets. It didn't take long for her to catch sight of the young woman as she turned into another alley some distance away. Kestre' hurried, but with the crowd here it was dificult. Finally she turned the corner, anxious to be with the one who had adopted her as a sister. But her face turned to horror as she saw none other than JinJin, crouched over Fan's limp form. She ran, a firball ready, but he had seemingly disappeard into the shadaows.

Kneeling beside the young woman, she felt for a sign of life, it was ebbing rapidly. She began to wail and curse the Gods and summoned Timsa, in her mind. _"Your brother is a Dark One, hunt him my Love."_, to which she felt his reply, _"It will be done my Moonglow."_. She felt Timsa move some distace away, his tracking was next to none.

Bending to lift Fan up, Kestre' felt a soft breeze, yet there was no wind today. The breeze felt warm and full of compassion, caring, she paused...then that same epireal spiral of tiny white stars appeared, when Hieden had killed the Barog and somehow vanished. She stopped and fell on her haunches, and witnessed something no being had seen for thousands of years, a hand materialised had stopped over Fan's heart. It pulsed with energy and glowed, the wound closed and Fan suddenly breathed life once more. She looked at Kestre' shook her head and was about to say "What happen.....," Then she spat. "JinJin."

"Yes I know, we'll get him, rest for a moment, something miraculous has happened this day.

They both sat there for a short while, and as they were about to get up and leave, Fan heard a soft man's voice. "I Love you my daughter, I'll be back with you soon." She cried on Kestre's shoulder, not from sadness, but joy. She knew daie was going to return.

Somerthing happened? Fan looked at Kestre as if the Eldar had grown a second head. What was she going on about? The last thing Fan remembered was fighting Jinjin for but mere moments before being stabbed through. The Diae's voice. She heard him clearly. Clearer then she ever had in her life, was it in her heard, or her mind? Meanwhile Jinjin had slipped away from Holy Terra on a outgoing cruise vessel as a nobel going on a trip. The ship left the port just as Timsa arrived at its location, Jinjin had slipped out of his trackers grasp once more. Timsa swore mentally and headed back to the offices area for MerTelCom. The mental call he recived from his adopted sister seemed to give him a spring in his step as he walked back.

Meanwhile; at the ofcfices area within the chamber Ni-Fang was given. Gera and Pretas had joined her there and also Cirir and Kran. They knew nothing of what was happening to Fan at that given time. Ni-fang had a map of the docks, several ships of the make and model design similar to the Dawn were under construction as warships. Pretas was reading through a datasheet for a crewman of mutant means thast Cirir had chosen, a pretty much imobile woman, connected directly to a computer core, which ciould either be hooked to a ship or just to a hovercraft to move her around. Cirir had found four replacement mutants under guard of the Imperial Guard. And at Johens request the four mutants were released and given directly into crew costody to Ni-Fang and Cirir.

A woman, clearly Lokikaen, entered the chambers and stood near the door. Dressed in a glittering black velvet and silver cloth dress that was rather revea,ling to say in the least. Ni-Fang noticed her and smiled, and for a few seconds everyone, save for Cirir, who had met (and danced with) Ni-Fangs mother Xue, thought they were seeing twins as Ni-Fang was exactly the same hight as her mother (1.68 m), only her mother had raven black hair, wherein Ni-Fang had startleling white. though her mothers hair was short.

"Mother" she said in Lokikaen getting up from the table where she sat and headed her way, the two women embraced.

"Daughter, it is good to see you again, Brother Ning and his wife Xia, want to speak to you as soon as they can regarding your crew. And the key you had found for Jones, we recived word from him the key you carry had been sued. And says to pass it on to Brother Ning." Xue replied in Lokiaen.

"But Ning is a Scholar, not a soldier" Ni-fang replied slightly confused before realizing where Jones was going with the movements of the key. Scholar Nings wife looked similar to Linelle, but not as tall. "Does Scholar Ning want the key now?" She removed it from within her robe.

"When they speak to you about the key yes, unless you wish me to give it to him for you." It was once said the mother of a warpborn was a true fighter, both within and without. Would that hold over for Xue the mother of Ni-Fang, the sole heir to MertelCom? Ni-Fan only smiled and handed the key to her mother to give to Elder Ning. Lady Xue had only a walking stick of sorts with her. Ruby Red in color.

She would be safe from harm with that.

Gera spoke after Ni-Fangs mother left, "Nice lady" Apparently Pretas had emnbeded a bit too much of being a soldier into Gera, as the woman wanting part had seemed to appear the morel adies the bodyguard saw.

"She is my mother" Ni-Fang replied with a smirk, Gera didn't seem or look fazed, nor did he act such either as he replied.

"Still, a nice lady, one such asd yourself Captain, are lucky to have such for a mother." he said before shutting up at the look Pretas gave him, 'Suck up' written all over it. Ni-Fang only continued to smirk.

Meanwhile in the streets, Fan knew in her heart that her Diae would be returning, only where exactly? then she spotted it, a teahut of sorts. She was in need of a drink anyhow. Mentally she said to Kestre; 'Let us enter there, I need drink.' It was true,. she had lost a lot of blood, but was somehow still alive. Kestre only nodded and followed, the pair of them finding a table, not really execting anyone to show up. Fan went right for the tea.

It was not until a young... ish looking Hieden sat down across from her, who gave a shake of his head to Kestre to not make a sound, as Fan was busy drinking down half the teapot worth of tea as it was. When she set down the teapot she stared at the man acorss from her, 'Diae?' She asked mentally.

Hieden smiled, which prompted Fan to dive over the table and grab the man into a hug. nobody within the teahouse noticed the sudden movement. Acting as if they had seen it all the time and was nothing new.

But Fan was happy. her family was together again.

Things happened fast for anyone to enjoy, first losing Hieden, four mutants, and nearly her own life in a fuitful battle of wits against her daemon. apparently the inner daemon liked to be tested as much as possible, only the last time would be a while before going at it again.

Ni-Fang found herself wandering her parents mansion, which was, in terms of size alone; the same ammount of sqaure meters as the Spirit was, maybe even larger. which many rooms never before explored. She foundherself in her mothers chambers, her father was there.

Johen saw his daughter enter and took her up into a hug. "When we recived word of the fight and loss of some of your crew, your mtoher had the tailors of Lokika, here at the mansion, make something for you." he said at her questioning look. He stepped aside as hjer mtoher stepped forwards and drew her into a hug also.

The two then conversed in Lokikaen, between themselves with privacy as Johen left the room at his wife stern look as the maids arrived with the mourning attire for Ni-Fang. The black and dark emerald lace dress, with more lacelike look and amazing design patterns, leaving much to be shown in terms of skin, and leaving plenty to the imaginations, to it. Ni-Fang marveled at the beautiful dress, and stared at her mother as the maids helped her put it on. It was not until the maids left did Ni-Fang speak.

"You mentioned fighting? Why would I fight within this item made by Lokikaen tailors commisioned by you for my mourning of my crewmen lost?" She asked her mother Xue

"Because child, as of late you have found yourself in battle with others when you least plan it. As such I thought it fitting to make you a set of clothing that can act in two ways, onem, for mourning your los, and the other for helping in battle." Xue hugged Ni-Fang. "Do not worry, when word reached us of you leaving Port Wander to begin your trading upon your ship on your own, I had several outfits designed and made for you, yet you are in mourning. So this is fitting for you."

Ni-Fang smiled. "Thank you mother." She hugged her mother then once more as her father entered.

He stood for a moment, smiling seeing his daughter within the dress his wife had made on such short notice. "You wear it well daughter" he said softly. he then got down to buisiness. "Cirir, the fourlegged man outside wished to see you when he did not find you on either of your ships, I've decided to give the Dawn into your new fleet, since you have the Spirit already, you also have a second ship to use as well, the Dawn is yours. uit should fit within the Spirits hangar bay pretty well."

Ni-Fang nodded at mention of Cirir "Yes, he is my first mate until I find one to replace the loss of Hieden Hieldenhammer. Cirir has been under the weather in terms of mood due to loosing four of his kindred in the recent battle as well." She smiled then, "It will do him good for me to speak to him."

She then elft the room, and shut the door behind her Cirir stood in the hall waiting. "Cirir," She said simply, then headed down the hall, Cirir scuttling along smoothly and quietly.

"Captain" he said at last coming to a halt when he nearly walked into the back of Ni-Fang, she was staring at something. Cirir saw nothing. But Nio-Fang saw for but a few seconds, Hieden pointing in some direction, towards the markets. Was he still alive?

Was he at the markets?

The young man entered the cafe' and glanced at his image in the mirror, he'd seen that face before, was it his? Of course it was, only the face he wore some thirty odd years ago. He scanned the place and found who he was looking for, another man perhaps in his late thirties with a dark haired woman, he seemed to remember knowing both of them at some time in his long life. But the question remained, who was he this time, "Am I me again, or someone else, how much time has passed?" He also remembered seeing a young woman with a friend, "When was that? The other day? But I was here then as well?"

He went straight to the booth, ignored the other patrons, took a cup of coffee from the waitress, who smiled at him, he knew her as well, also knew of the battle she fought so long ago, and only by the intervention of the man he was to meet, was the waitress saved from an eternal war of chaos. He smiled back at her, and she mouthed the word Waffles?, to which he nodded yes.

Sliding into the seat opposite he frowned at the other two." Well, this makes how many times?"

"Hmm, about one hundred and thirty or so since I was your handler Will, or is it Hieden, or will it be your birth name Agathon?" The other man said.

"Dont be a smart arse Daniel, it doesnt suit you, and Elizabeth, its nice to see you again, but why the two of you?"

The waitress brought his coffee and waffles over, he thanked her and said they were still the best hed ever had, she walked away slowly, turned and winked at him...strange he thought, coming from his mother, then she was always regarded as a bit of a renegade up here; he laughed to himself.

"Things have changed Will." Elizabeth said as she leaned closer across the table, she always smelt of roses. "Forces are moving in the galaxy, a single force we believed forty thousand years ago, had been delt with, but there was one we missed."

"Dont tell me."

"Yes Im afraid so." Daniel himself leaned closer so the other patrons would not hear. "When Morgan fought with Adria, we believed that was that, the Ori had been dealt it wasnt the case. We have since learnt, and only recently since she has revealed herself, there was another who took human form before our battles during my time on Earth and hid in another far part of the Milkyway Galaxy, unseen by any of us, including your fellow ancients."

"So why now, and do you know who it is?"

"Shes come forth now, because it has taken all these thousands of years to build an empire, and after a lot of defeats from the one they call the God-Emperor, she is now ready to tackle the Imperium head on, as his time begins to fade." Elizabeth told him.

"She calls herself Emperess Xi Lan, you know her as the leader of the Laraxans." Daniel said simply.

"And you want me to go back and take this trollop down I take it? You know this is getting a bit old, even we ancients need a break, I mean come on Ive been doing this for what, damn I cant even remember how long...I die, I come back, over and over..I remember doing battle with the Ori, long before your ancestors left the caves. Come on Dannyboy I need a break."

"You will have one, this will be the last time we promise, after this you can ascend at your own leasure, at any time. But dont forget, you have family now, you care about them dont you?"

"What a stupid question, of course I do. But what good will that be, when you do the old memory swipe thing again?"

"Not this time Will." Elizabeth said sincerely, her face was openly honest, it always was. He trusted her if no one else. "You go back with all of Hiedens memories intact, and a lot of your time as William MacGregor as well, youll need that. There is a lot to be done, and the old SGC base will give you much of what you need."

"Hmmm, sounds fair, do I get any help this time, or a I on my own again?"

"No, you wont be alone, you have three very strong and special women to help you, you know them well, and the one you know as Pretas, he is of an ancient lineage, he has some gifts you need to draw out. When his time comes, he will be allowed ascension as well." Daniel told him.

"So, when do I go?" He stood to leave.

"When you know in yourself the time is right. Oma stood next to him, then hugged him. You will do well my son."

Linelle had grown tired of the city, and doing Johens clerical work, since his old chief clerk had retired. She needed to get away, and the constant reminders of Hieden were getting to her. At first Fan and Kestre told her of meeting with him several times, though she could never get them to tell her what he said. Then Ni-Fang said she had seen him in passing on a few occasions, and even Linelle herself thought she saw him.

At her sugestion and granted by the God-Emperors courts, through Johens influence, the valley of Zhi Gui, was renamed Hiedenvale, and the mountain that stood before it assumed its long forgotten historical name, Colorado Mountian. She and her little entourage moved there and soon a small cabin was built on the edge of the forest, a swift cool stream nearby.

Six months had passed and Fan came every morning to place her hand on Linelles tummy, the children were strong, Galaxya had ran further screens on her and found twins, a boy and a girl, and Linelle cursed Hieden with a laugh, for the burden he had placed on her. Kran fitted in well, he began to realise with all the talk of Hieden, that his job might only be temporary, and so he became very close with Fan, when her daemon allowed it. But being only young himself, he and Fan enjoyed many an hour in the forest, either hunting or fishing, or just being young.

Ni-Fang had set up a staging base in the Valley, a refuge for the Spirit, and hired crews to restore the old base, after some heavy work, the road leading up to the original frot entry was renewed and Ni-Fang was surprised the day they finally got the massive door open, over two metres thick and more than large enough to accomodate road vehicles, with a long tunnel leading down to level one, it was ideal for her porpose. She carried on her normal business, taking the Spirit out on long trading runs, clashing with Laraxan raiders on a number of occasions. The little Python fighters from the Dawn, her ship now had twelve of them, one she called her own as she learnt to fly it, Windfire she named it; had more than made the difference. Everytime she sent the Laraxans limping home.

Ni-Fang stood late one evening with Linelle and Fan, on the verandah of her own home she had built, less than a hunded meters from Linelles, she looked over the valley and felt proud of the small town that grew there, at first from the workers she hired, but now a few familes came to join them, to escape the pressure of the city. There were shops now, and business, even an engineering company to help with her maintenance. After a long spell, she had Linelle bring the Dawn back, and the town gathered on her return to cheer the now swollen tummied officer who strode proudly down the ramp with Ni-Fang when she docked. 'How much longer Hieden?' She thought to herself, but both Ni-Fang and Fan heard her plea and both held her from either side.

******************************************  
Emperess Xi Lan, tapped out a beat with her long blue lacquered nail on the arm of her deep black throne, an officer of her fleet knelt before her. "Rise General Hue, report." She said in a voice that seemed to come from the depths of hell.

"We tried my Emperess, we tried, but each time this Ni-Fang elludes us, we are sorry for our failure." He bowed his head low.

Xi Lan, reached behind her head and withdrew the long steel comb from her bun, and with a flick of the wrist, the comb flew from her hand and buried itself deep into the Generals skull. He fell lifeless with a thud. She stood and looked at her courtiers, eyes aflame with fire. "Find me someone with enough strength and might, who can bring this slip of a girl to me. I will grant anyone eternal life who does this." Of course she would not, but then a little encouragement helps. They all bowed and left, with a nod of her head, she extinguished the lights and sat in the darkness, a darkeness that echoed her soul.

"You always did want her" Said a calm deadly voice, the voice was that of Jinjin, to Xi Lan, in the darkness of the chamber. He smiled as she struck a light, his luminous green eyes shown as he appeared, looking ever the nobel.

"Again you appear unlooked for Dark Eldar. You named your price yet my men paid dearly for it. yet you get nothing of it and manage to flee!" Xi Lan replied with a hiss.

"You forget Empress, That Laxaex was cheating us both, for his ship I raided, he carried nothing of what he promised of my payment." Jinjin replied cooly.

"Laxaex cheated me on many an happening." Xi Lan hissed. "Take your money and go, unless you bring me news of good tidings wherein my own men bring me news I dislike rather badly."

"The one known as Fan is dead" Apparently Jinjin duid not know she was saved, and even the Laxarans also thought her dead, and strangely enough, Ni-Fang played on that after Fan explained her encounter and sighting on Hieden, he said nothing of what was said to her from her Diae. Ni-Fang though weouldf have none of it, and perfered to continue to mourn until the time of the childrens birth.

Xi Lan smiled, finally some good news! "One Daemon is not many, oopur own Baeran is dead to us by another of ancesterial power. Yet this is good news to me." She eyed Jinjin.

"My price remains that of what I told Laxaex, double the orginial deal, Ni-Fang is mine as is Linelle Trasker."

"Trasker? What is she to you?"

Jinjin gave her a dark look, "I have been asked that many a time, and grow tired of it Empress." He told her. "Remember, it was through my doing that you are in this post of power." He turn and stalked out of the chamber, leaving Xi Lan to think.

It had been just over six months since Hieden had passed away. Yet Fan said he was returning soon, but when she did not know, nor did she say anything of what was said to her, even to Linelle. Kran did what hje could to help Linelle, with only two months to go of term before the children were to be born at that. Ni-Fang had found herself getting into battles with Laraxan and Ork ships, and also had the oppertune moments to come across a broken and deadspaced Chaos Marouder craft or two, Sometimes life worked rightly.

Others, not so much.

Ni-Fang found herself locked in her room, drawing. Drawing what appeared to be absolute nonsense to anyone whatsoever, yet to her it meant something. Little did she know it, but the device she had let download into her mind, was begging to work its course.

She wrote things, many of them making little sense, even to herself. Other things she wrote as personal memos in Lokikaen. FGor wont of a better term she was making her mother worried. A few more weeks passed before anytrhing strange began to happen, but not to Ni-Fang or her family, but to Fan and her daemon.

And Linelle...

Hieden had not appeared to any of the three women, nor to Johen or his wife, for almost a month. Something must have been going on. Something that they didn't know about, or couldn't know about. But it was now Johens wife who was most worried for her daughter, and hoped, and thought, praying to her Lokikaen God (the Ancient Chinese Buddah) and hoping that Hieden heard her thoughts as well

Daniel sat in his normal spot in the diner of the Ascended plane, Hieden had gone to take care of personal business. He looked towards Oma, "Should we tell him what Ni-Fang did?"

Oma shook her head, "It is best that Fan tells him when the time is right. Only she will know whe nthat time will be" She smiled then as Morgan appeared, haggard and spent looking, but rather happy then she used to be. "It is about time for you to arrive."

"Adria was a handful, it took doing, yet finally I prevailed, thankfully Merlin agreed to take over for me." She replied, Then she saw Hieden appear, "William" SHe said with a nod.

"Grandmother." He replied with a similar nod. Then gave her a hug. "So, shall I head back to the others?"

The group at the table nodded, Hieden was to go to Solaris Icarus rather then Stolorus, he would return however as Hieden, the first mate of Ni-Fang, and act as a peddler until returnuign to Holy Terra, he had less then a month before Linelle came to term to give birth, and what surprized him the most of that news was, "Two children?" He was stunned to say in the least, How could he raise two warp born children?

"Don't worry, when the children are born we will spirit away one of them, to teach and raise. You may choose which of the two we are to raise for you, Kran has acted in your stead to help Linelle, yet knows it is only temporary for him to do so." Morgan replied

Another voice, a calmer, more serene voice of a older male, was heard. "It is also best you pay more attention to the happenings of the mortals Young Chils" Said Buddah, (known sometimes as Bud by Daniel) as he turned in his seat to face the booth where the rest sat. "The Lady Xue, wife of Master Johen, and mother of Ni-Fang, worries for her daughter, and hopes you hear her thoughts, as I have heard her prayers."

"What about the good captain?" Hieden asked

"She is in mourning for you until Madam Trasker-Hieldenhammer comes ot full term with the infants." He replied calmly. "She has also locked herself in her chambers for days on end, barely eating anything. Much less allowing anyone into her chambers other then one maid. She worries her mother something aweful." He gave Hieden an odd look. "I think it best you appear to her, while she sleeps to speak to her. Or appear in her rooms. Have a mind to mind chat so to speak."

Buddah smiled then, "I would go, but I'm actually quite busy answering Lady Xue Na's prayers for her daughters well being."

That made Hieden snicker, "Ni-Fang was always getting into trouble." He said.

"Still is, the Laraxans are moving, many of the craft are being raided by Ni-Fang and her crew. Even Cirir has grown adept at sword-dancing." Buddah replied.

"Very well, I will speak to Ni-Fang before I return to the mortal realm." the thought of Cirir actually dancing with blades made him wonder what exactly was transpiring in the mortal world.

"Good, it is about time you do, you are gathering dust just sitting on that chair" Buddah replied with a smirk. Hieden was about to flip him the bird but thought better of it and looked to his mtoher and grandmother.

"Shall I get going?"

"Best you do before too long." came the answer, Hieden nodded, and stood to leave, with one more hug ot Morgan, he exited the diner and as he stepped out of the place he stepped directly into Ni-Fangs bedroom....

Ni-Fang was laying on the bed, staring a the ceiling. She never noticed him enter. the maid had been in, but only to change the bedlinens. The first thing Hieden nosticed about Ni-Fang was her appearance, she hadn't changed from the black and emerald dress her mtoher had given her when Hieden had passed away. The lace front was quite clean however, but her hair was another story. It was an absolute mess, worst then a birds nest. Her eyes were bloodshot from too many nights reading, writing, and thinking.

Glass was everywhere, some of it cubelike most of it right from several old windowpanes, all of it contained someform of data imprinted into it. Seeing the piles and stacks of glass, paper and many broken vox recorders. Hieden said simply. "I see you've been busy...."

That get her attention. But not the desired effect. Ni-fang rolled over on the bed, her back to Hieden, Thinking him one of the servants, or a man trying to suit her, she said simply. "Not interested. I'd rather be alone"

Hieden looked at fist confused but a cheeky sneaky smilke appeared on his face as he went forwards, poking her in the ribs where he always poked her. "I am not suiting enough then?"

It was his voice that made her think aloud, yet still having her back to him. "Hieden?" She turned tio look, but he was gone. But was he returning? Something was written on a piece of glass, newly written. When she read it, she smiled. Hieden was returning, but it was not when, it was where.

After speaking with Ni-Fang's mother Xue, Hieronyma headed to Ni-Fang's quarters. She, too, was worried about Ni-Fang and how much time she spent alone. With a bit of urging from Xue and Johen, she decided to go check up on her and see if there was something wrong.

Hieronyma went to knock on the door to Ni-Fang's quarters, only to have the other woman answer it faster than she had thought possible. Ni-Fang grabbed Hieronyma's wrist and pulled her inside, causing the other woman to give a tiny squeak in surprise. Ni-Fang looked like a wreck to Hieronyma, her hair dirty and matted, her eyes haunted. When Ni-Fang released Hieronyma, the timid TechMedic began to speak.

"Ni-Fang, ma'am, you-"

But Ni-Fang cut her off. "Have you seen any sign of Hieden at all?" she demanded.

Hieronyma frowned. She had hurt the others whispering of Hieden's return, but she could not see how it was possible. How could someone come back from the dead. "No, I have not."

"And Linelle?"

"Linelle is fine," she assured. "The twins are healthy, maturing fine. You do not need to worry about them." Before Ni-Fang could interrupt again, Hieronyma added. "Ni-Fang, your parents are worried about you, we all are. You need to take better care of yourself." She placed a hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"Hieden left us" Ni-Fang said dejectedly, "Fan says he is returning, but refuses to say anything more then that." Ni-Fang looked at Hieronyma, "Linelle is close to term, before you came to my door, I thought for a moment I heard Hieden in my chambers. But when I looked, he was not there. Yet I heard him clearly. Felt him too"

"Felt?" How can one feel the dead?

"He poked me" Came the reply.

That was impossible, "He what? He's dead, how can he poke another?"

Ni-Fang looked at Hieronyma, her face saying something snooty, yet she only said, "I don't know." It was true, she didn't know.

"So now what?" Hieronyma asked quietly as Ni-Fang went to the window and opened it out to the river seventy five meters below. Hieronyma followed, finally getting it as Ni-Fang removed her necklace given her asa young girl by Hieden before he took he Dawn fifteen years before. "You're not thinking...."

"... of a swim? Yes I am, after all, you said it yourself, I need to worry moreof my appearance and take care of myself, so...." As she spoke Ni-Fang sat on the windowsill, the window was wide open, and nowherenear hitting her head. She smiled, "Wanna join me? You need to loosen up a bit, you're always stiff necked and quiet."

Before Hieronyma could answer Ni-Fang grabbed her wisr and fell backwards, pulling Hieronyma along straight ino the ten meter deep, bathwater like, slow moving river system. It wasn't cold, nor was it unexpected from the other people using the river. A few houses were built, and some that were there were using the river as a means of transport and seemed used to Ni-Fangs gravity defying stunts out her window. At least to the point of not calling for the local police department to fish people from the river from so high a fall.

Both women poked their heads above water, soaked to the core. Yet now in good spirits. Both women were _smiling_. For the first time in ten years, Hieronyma felt at peace and ready to have fun for once

At first, Hieronyma was frowning. But when Ni-Fang saw the look on her face, she started laughing, and Hieronyma smiled a bit and laughed too. She swam to a more shallow part of the river and tried to stand up, but ended up slipping on the rocks and falling right back down. She laughed and shivered slightly, her wet clothes sticking to her body.

"I am not stiff necked," she said quietly, with a bit of a smile.

Ni-Fang laughed. "Then you obviously have not seen yourself."

"...hey!"

The two women laughed. Hieronyma gave up on trying to stand up and sat down in the water. IT was actually quiet refreshing, now that she was used to it. Ni-Fang splashed her playfully, and she giggled and splashed back.

"You need to relax," the other woman said with a laugh.

"If this is not relaxing then I do not know what is," Hieronyma replied with a grin. Ni-Fang was right, she did need to relax sometimes. It was hard to, though, when she was the virtual outsider on the ship.

Ni-Fang stood up, and tossed her hair over her shoulder, sending water everywhere. "You know, you're kind of a mystery to everyone. No one knows anything about you."

Hieronyma simply shrugged. Her past was a touchy subject, one that she did not like to talk about that much. "Well no one has ever asked."

"Well I will, then," Ni-Fang said, and Hieronyma began to feel uneasy. She nodded slowly, and Ni-Fang asked. "Where were you born?"

"Holy Terra," Hieronyma said after a moment of hesitation. "I-I didn't really know my parents." That of course was a lie, for the first eleven years of her life she had lived on the streets with her parents. She'd had four siblings, she was just another child to them. They hadn't even really noticed when she had left.

"I see," Ni-Fang said with a nod. "Did you do anything before you were a TechMedic?"

An image of a daemon charging her immediately entered Hieronyma's mind, and she winced. She suddenly remembered Ni-Fang was daemon-possessed, and flinched back. "I'd rather not talk about it."

She struck a nerve, that must have been it. Seeing how Hieronyma was reacting to the question Ni-Fang said quietly; "Forget I asked that then, I take it you have been a TechMedic for a longer time then on local records?" Hieronyma nodded, Ni-Fang then noticed something, the water, now chest deep, felt slightly colder.

And it wasn't her doing either.

Nor her Daemons.

Nor was it anyone she knew either.

It was someone else, someone, once close, but now an enemy. Hieronyma fell to it first, the instant chill of the water sent the Techmedic into shock, pulling her under within a heartbeat. It took a few minutes longer for Ni-fang to figure out what was going on before she too fell to the coldness of the water. A single name entered her mind as she slipped from the land of the living into the blackness.

Jinjin


	9. Chapter 9

Rogue Trader; season One  
Episode nine: She did what?

Jinjin, he did this! Why, I smell another near! She woke up fast, only it wasn't Jinjin who was standing over her, but an older woman, bent with age. Ni-Fang at first stared, then asked simply, "Who are you?"

"All people ask me that." The woman said with a odd smile, "At least you are awake." The woman then explained what she witnessed of two dark eldar, not seen on Holy Terra for ten generations had done to the two swimming women. Hieronyma was on the other side of the bed Ni-Fang laid upon.

"I am awake yes, but wehere am I, and who are you?" Ni-Fang said

"Who I am is not important, where you are, well, I brought you both here becvause I need your help, for one as young as yourself, and daemon possessed at that, yet the other with you, not so, she has yet to waken, but will soon as I brought you both here and got you warm as quick as I could. Now I think you can help me with something since you are awake. Can you stand?" The woman said

Ni-Fang noticed she was still wet, but not cold anymore, and was also still dressed as she was before falling out her window. She got up slowly, her bare feet hitting the stone floor. For a second she stood a little drunkenly, then found her balance. "What is it you need me to do?"

Instead of answering the women took her to another room, where a young boy laid on the bed, nearly dead, barely breathing, his eyes closed, clearly blind. ni-Fang stared, clearly the woman wanted her to help the boy. But that wasn't the least of it, she recognized the young man as Acali Shao, her mothers top servants only son. The same yong man who had a crush on her at one point but she avoided him. "Where did you find him?"

"You know he then? on the road not far from the river, he was beaten severely, not more then two days ago. he has yet to waken."

"Mother has been searching for him then, yet she is more worried for my sake then anything else. Why? Is this a ploy from Mother?" Does she want me to marry Acali? Ni-Fang wondered as she felt for the young mans pulse, it was barely there. WEithout letting the old woman know it Ni-fang sent a mental call to her mother. 'What in the name of the God-Emperor, is going on?' She recived no answer at first. yet the Buddha heard her clearly. weithout so much as a mental brush, he told Ni-Fang to not worry, that Acali was in good hands and to leave as swiftly as possible with Hieronyma back for the merTelCom complex.

Ni-Fang threw a look to the old woman, her face unreadable now, allowed Ni-Fang to pass, Hieronyma was waking up. Nopticing Ni-Fang awake, asked. "what happened?"

"Hit an iceburg" Ni-Fang in good humor replied without missing a beat. "Ship went down with all hands, good thing the captains awake." her face had a goofy smile on it.

"Very funny, where are we?"

"Dunno, someone saw us go under from something and dragged us here. said it was a pair of Dark Eldar, I'm thinknig Mother must be up to something. Acali is here" Ni-Fang replied. Just the name of the young man made Hieronyma seem slightly edgey. Was she related to the man in some way? Or did she want to treat him? Instead of having to worry of such Hieronyma said simply, "I think I need to relax more, can we go for another swim?" that made Ni-Fang laugh aloud then, with a simply pull upward the two women were on their feet and heading out the door for the river.

All the while a pair of eyes watched everything.

Hieden visted the Cafe' one last time, only to find it almost deserted save for Daniel, he went immediately over to him and sat down.

"Hey...what's going on, where is everbody?"

"Trouble my friend, it seems all our little 'side' activities have come under the notice of the collective. Not trouble for us so much, but this Xi Lan, has some powerful friends that may bring the Ancients out of their closet some time soon."

"What more Ori, I thought it was established Xi Lan was the last?"

"No Will, not Ori, the Dark Eldar. They are almost as old as the Ancients and probably as powerful. They as a race are not so much interested in conquering, but she is seeking their aid. You need to get back sooner rather than later."

"As in now?"

"Yes."

The young man woke up and was freezing. He was nkaed and laying on a tiled floor in a room lit only by the suffused light of candles. He looked about him and saw only a huge of a smiling fat man, which he instantly recognised as Buddha. Scanning the dim light he saw a figure come toward him, head down and running. It was a young woman, her head shaved in the tradition of the one of the Lakkien home worlds, he knew imediatley he was on Solaris Icarus, and in a monastry.

"Sir? Are you hurt? Are you he?" She spoke tentavely, keeping her head down and not being sure if he understood her dialect.

"No I'm not lass, and by he, that depends on who 'he' is. An lass if ye be kind enough te' get me some clothin' ah'll answer yer questions."

Yes in his mind he was Hieden once again, his ancestral brogue as stong as ever, but he had another's memories as well now, that of one Admiral Willaim MacGregor, that was him as well.

"He, is the Nesung, the one who returns, and from your accent and look I believe it is you. Be patient sir, and I will bring you something." She rushed away into the shadows only to return some ten minutes later carrying a large grey box. She set it before him and said. "Please dress sir and I will return."

The case was made of alloy, one he was familiar with, the word trinium came to his mind, and it was ice cold as well, meaning it had been in cryo storage, probably a very long time, but where, not here he knew that. There were two seals along the edge, with a twist he broke them and lifted the latches, with a slight hiss, a container that had not seen the light in most likely 40,000 years was opened.

Hieden peered in and the first thing to take his eye was a very old pistol and perhaps several spare clips for it. He lifted it up and felt the balance, yes he knew this well, his or Will's old Gloch 29, a forty five caliber semi auto pistol that would....well he didn't dwell on what it would do, he knew only too well. He noticed a odd item withinthe box, it had a clear screenlike piece, with a rebreather. The word Exopack drifted through his mind. When did he have a need for that? He set it aside and shifted through the container somemore. He lifted out some clothing next, a black one piece suit, embroided with arm and chest patches that told him it was Will's uniform, worn on the space cruisers they called 304's back in that time. Two silver stars were on each lapel, and he wasn't sure wether to leave them, in the end he unfastened them and put them in the case. He found underclothing as well and dressed quicly, placing the pistol in a webbed belt and holster that was deeper inside. He called the girl back.

"Now lass, if ye don' mind tellin' me, is there any ships bound fer Holy Terra?"

"There is sir, but I have been instructed to lead you elsewhere, if you would follow me."

Hieden hefted the case and followed the young woman for what seemed an age. Down long passageways, adorned with art and writing in gold leaf, which he recognised as ancient Chinese, the language specifically Mandarin. Finally she led him into a sealed chamber, the doors opening only after she entered a complicated code on a wall panel. When the doors finally revealvd the interior, Hieden took a step back, he knew what he was looking at, but could not believe it. A Stargate, complete with DHD. He truned to say something but the young woman was gone, only a piece of paper was left on the polished tiles with seven symbols...Earth.

But his mind told him the Stargate had been taken from the SGC, where...nevermind, he went into the chamber and the doors closed behind him. Hieden shook his head, "AH well it's now or never." He spoke allowed. He stood before the DHD and punched in the seven symbols as he had done on many an occasion as Will MacGregor from a place they called the Gamma base. The familiar kawoosh opened in front of him at the end of the sequence and he stepped through the blue puddle.

The place he stepped into was pitch dark after the gate shutdown, but he saw enough to recognise the place he knew to be Area 51. He was deep underground and Will's memories reminded him the place was badly bombed in the last days of the War, it was unlikely he could find a way out.

_"Frekkin hell, now what?"_ He thought.

It took a little doing, but not too long, since the two girls were headed back to the river side complex where they made their home in the lavish MerTelCom buildings. As they were walking alongside the river, both of them still soaked. Ni-Fang smirked and with a giggle gave a small shove, sending Hieronyma ino the river, only she was not expecting ther young Lokiaen techmedic to grab her and pull her in on top of her so quickly.

With a laugh they both hit the water and swam once more, for a good out the two were in the water. They soon left the river and headed back to the complex as it begain to get dark. Both women soaking wet and in good spirits. The pair entered the main gate to the complex, and the gardener was there, the older man, clearly Lokikaen in appearance, took a long look at them, noting their soaking wet apperance and need of dry clothing.

Not ot mention privacy in which to use said dry clothing....

The man stared at the two women for a good minute before shaking his head and rolling his eyes. Girls, will be girls. Yet the darkhaired one, she looks familar.... The two women headed past him, the old man got a closer look then at Hieronyma, Tam? Nah, can't be her, she's dead from what reports say. He thought. Hieronyma noticed the man staring and did her best to not make eye contact.

The two women sped up their pace. Heading for Ni-Fangs chambers, two other girls were shortly spotted. Both of them looking more like twins, and also similar to Hieronyma, who stopped and started, It can't be! She thought, Ni-Fang noticed the two just as they noticed them both. "Chisia, Sara, has mother called on you?"

the elder of the two shook herh ead. "We are off duty until ordered to send as messanger." Well, that exdplained that.

"Very well," Ni-Fang said noticing clearly, yet not showing it, the two girls eyeing Hieronyma, as if they had seen her before. "See to dinner and have it brought to my chambers, for two." Apparently something was wrong..... It was not until she got to her chambers did she read the newst news, there was something of energy spikes coming from the desert, some reported seeing blue stars like when Hieden left them.

Did he come back?

They were in her chambers for no more then ten minutes before a frantic knocking, no more like a solid hammering of a fist, the fist of a daemon controlled Fan, sounded at her door, letting the woman in she said simply, "Jie, is something wrong? you are excited? or distrought?" Ni-Fang noticed first and formost the fan in her hands was closed as if used recently.

'I felt Diae! he's alive! I feel him nearby, really close.' Fan mentally replied.

'OK take it easy, where nearby?' Ni-Fang could tell Fan wanted to go see Hieden as soon as she was able. as a pure guess Ni-Fang said simply, 'The southlands?'

Fan nodded, 'the southlands, that's where his feeling is coming from. rthe sea of sand is where he is!' The woman replied. She was dressed in royal pink, her hair only in two ribbons, but left almost totally loose about her shoulders and down to her wasit. Fan then noticed the state of dress both other women were in. 'You look like you were having fun.' Then she noticed the open window. 'Went swimming again Jie?' Ni-Fang went red in the face.

Fan never missed her mark when it came to guessing things properly.

Ni-Fang spoke up saying so Hieronyma could hear. "I just sent that dinner to be sent for two be brought to myself and Hieronyma. you might have to request dinner be brought to you or go to the dining hall yourself. It is up to you." But Ni-Fang knew in her heart that Fan wanted to go find Hieden as soon as humany possible, even if she had to brave the sea of sand to the southlands. (Arizona; near the Mexico/USA border)

Hieden as Will MacGregor knew Area 51 a little, but not too well. He tried to estimate what level he might be on, but also how much damage the bombing had done. He stood and opend the case and rummaged through it in the darkness, his hand fell on something familiar, a torch. he wondered how good the batteries would be after thousands of years, well it was in cryo he reminded himself.

He twisted the end and the white light was almost blinding in the dark. Casting the torch about he eventuallly found what he was looking for, open passageways, one leading up, the other down. He didn't know why, but instinct told him down. He picked up the case and headed in that direction, the long slow ramp taking him somehwere, but where he wasn't sure.

After several false halls and rooms, caved in passages and some unseen scuttling of things he was glad he didn't see, he came to a level that was quite clear and rather large. He flashed his torch about and saw two very large doors, partially open, he squeezed in through the opening and held the light high, there it was, as he remembered it, the prototype of Sam Carter's final work, such a pity more could not have been built before the end.

Standing beneath the drop form wing, he checked for any decay, the skin was clean and indeed the tyres were still the way it was on it's last flight, seals were good and four misslles still hung from their mounts, arming caps in safe made. He climbed the ladder and found a helmet on the seat and saw the name clearly, Lt. General Cameron Mitchell, his mind recalled the happier days of a previous life.

The F307 was the machine that should have turned the tide of the war, but unfortunately only four were built before the allies could make their escape into deep space. It was a highly eveolved version of the F302, and with the naquadria hyperdrive replaced by an efficient smaller Asgard version, it's three plasma canon and an internal bomb bay, it should have made the diiference. Bu that was history now.

Hieden climbed down and went in search of something else, he would need it. And after a little while he found a locker with a G suit in it. It was still usable and he quickly fitted it to himself, tightening the fasteners as tight as he could, which also showed him, that in his reborn body, he'd lost a lot of wieght, which he thought Linelle would be most pleased.

Returning to the fighter he clambered in and powered the generator, did his pre-flight check and found all sytems in the green. He closed the canopy and tried to remember something from long ago, coordinates...he punched in what he thought was right in the hyperdrive computer. A long whine told him the engines were running in idle, had to get this right or he'd be just a decoration inside this buried cavern.

He crossed his fingers and thought of his family, all of them, Ni-Fang and Fan as well, they were as much as part of him as was Linelle and the babies she carried. His hand hovered over the control, shaking slightly, then he hit it.

A blue-white swirl opened directly in front of his craft, then he was sucked within. It only took moments, but with his breath held, it could have been an age.

Clear blue skies welcomed the old farmer as he looked above, he had heard an unusual sound as he fed his chickens on his small allotment at the base of the desert mountains. He only saw a speeding grey winged shape, heading north east. He wondered for a minute, then went back to is task.

It wasn't until a minute later when a servant appeared at the door, carrying a tray of food, another followed behind, clearly both servants doingtheir jobs, and thankfully both of them not in any way recognizible to Hieronyma. Another servant appeared with a message for Ni-Fang to join with Linelle as quickly as possible in the medical ward. The infants were on their way no doubt. And there was also news of something being seen from a defense satalite from Holy Terras southlands.

That last bit did not make any sense. Fan however knew in herh eart that Diae had returned from the dead as he had promised. With a mental thought to Ni-Fang of 'Dinner for me can wait, do not worry for me now' She turned and left the chambers as fast as she had come. heading for the landing area for the ships of Ni-Fangs fleet. When she arrived she started searching the skies. A stroing mental thought precceeding her. 'Where are you Diae?' The thought was projected so strongly that she was sure she'd get an answer sooner rather then later.

Ni-Fang however sent for her father, when he arrived she asked him simply of why Acali was beaten, Johen replied, "I have not seen this Acali you speak of daughter, if he is one of your mothers servtans I would not know him, nor see him as I work to stray not from her whom is your mother." apparently Johen was very truthful when it came to being a family man. And also even more so when keeping from his wifes servants as much as possible.

"Acali is somehow related, or known, to my TechMedic here, he was also in love with me at one point as well. you recall my avoidance of him." Ni-Fang said.

"Now that you mention it, I do recall your avoidiung of the young man, but never recall seeing him in person." Johen said.

"Where is mother?" Ni-Fang asked.

"Tending to her garden near the river, why? shall I send for her?" Johen said.

"No, I'll go to her, later, Fan says that my first mate has retunr from the dead, but I do not see how this is possible." Ni-Fang looked lot, her mind telling her Hieden had returned from the dead, but didn't actually die either. She refused to believe her mind and opnly knew what her eyes saw for the time being. When she saw Hieden, if he was back, then she'd believe her mind. BNut until then....

"Yes, I did see Lady Fan going ot where the Dawn is berthed. she seemed in a hurry. so I did not imped her in any way." Johen replied before noticing to othe ope n window, a smile gracing his face, he knew of his daughters perchant for diving out the window at odd times to the Brown River 70 meters below. "If that is all I shall go" Ni-Fang only nodded, it was nearing full dark soon.

She turned and headed to the table where the servant guirls had placed the food, Hieronyma was already digging in, and at Ni-Fang look finally gave in to the questioning stare. "Sara and Chisia,.... they're my older sisters. the man in the garden, he was my father."

"Before you became a techmedic I take it? He seemed rather interested in you. But I took it for passing confusion." Ni-Fang said, slowly putting the pieces together, "It bothers you to have to talk of the past, so only between us no secrets will be kept, but the rest of the crew will not know, not even Hieden. Tell me everything you wish to talk about. And nothing more." The other woman slowly nodde,d maybe she should tell? but not all of it...

"OK, you asked for it" Hieronyma said with a sly smile of sorts before launching into a brief tale of her past, pointing out only the details she thought important. Ni-Fang asked no questions until the mentioning of Acali, her oldest brother.

"Did you know him? As in, as a family member of yours, did you know him as a brother to look up to, or did he treat you rashly?" She didn't have to ask, Acali had eyes only for Ni-Fang and didnt even care for his own parents, much less Hieronyma, then known to her famly as Qiu Li Shen. But after joining in the Holy Terran army in her towns recuting center area and seeing only two battles diud she become a techmedic, she did not go into details on that battle. Only saying she turned hjer life around, and instead of killing she was healing as best she could. "A good task to set for oneself." Ni-Fang said thoughtful, about ot ask more when a strange thrumming filly her daemonic senses.

The thrum of a engine of some kind....

Fan stood on the field close the shadow of the Dawn, she searched the skies as she heard the whine of an approaching aircraft, she knew it was her diae, she had run all the way from Ni-Fang's estate, and stood there panting. It wasn't long before she was joined by others, Pretas was the first, he had been in the mountain complex again, he had been spending a lot of time there lately and often returned with something. This time it was a flat black case of some kind with letters embossed on the cover, Fan twisted her head slightly to read, she recognised the characters as D E L L, the other item was a solid looking grey thing, it might have been a weapon of some kind, she wasn't sure.

Hieden was drawn toward an emotion, a feeling. Daniel had told him that Linelle was near due, and that she had also established a small village in the valley where he had battled the Barog. What he did not know was she had gone into labour the day before and taken to the medical facility in the city, only to be brought home again because of some kind of prejudice toward her elder heritage. Hieronyma and Andea Gunisen and taken her to the med-lab on the Dawn, the two of them with Ni-Fang and Fan, taking turn about to be with her. Good fortune had it a midwife had moved into the little village not a week ago.

He made one surveying pass over the valley, and found what he was looking for, just near to the Dawn he saw a clear field, large enough for quite a few F307's if he had them. He saw a small crowd gathering near the Red Dawn's hangar bay, and small familiar figure in a bright scarlet outfit, he was home. He landed far enough away from the crowd, that they would not be blown over by the VTOL jet wash, shut the engines down and opened the canopy. Then he realised there was no side ladder, he turned and grabbed his case from the rear seat, dropped it over the side, and followed with a landing thump.

Fan only saw a strange looking figure in black, with an equally strange domed apparatus on it's head, but she knew in her heart it was diae, She rushed to meet him as he removed the green thing from his head, and stopped just a few metres or so away, she saw a very young man, no more than his middle to late twenties, she gasped, but her daemon knew better and pushed her forward, then she saw those steel blue eyes, there was no hesitation now as she finally closed the gap and threw her arms around him, tears of joy streaming from her eyes. Hieden dropped the case and held Fan in his arms, letting her cry into his shoulder tears of pure joy. Then she thumped him hard on the chest.

"What took you so long?" And she held him closely, but suddenly she remembered, "Oh Diae, Linelle is almost there, quickly." She led him away as the crowd gathered around and cheered this man they had all heard about, the one who had conquered the beast, the one their new little valley home was named after.

Ni-Fang and Hieronyma came as quickly as they could, they saw Fan leading a man up the ramp into the Dawn, and also saw an inquisitive crowd gathering around the dark grey aircraft not unlike her own Falcons, but a little larger. Gera was soon there though with some of his men, keeping hands away, Pretas close by seemingly inspecting every nut and bolt. The two young women gained the ramp and were greeting by the sound of babies crying echoing through the ship, and Andea walking toward them, with the largest smile possible.

Several hundred metres away, on the slope of a small hill, JinJin watched as he witnessed the events passing, he just added another prize to his list, he will have that little aircraft of war as well.

Pretas stood nearby as he scanned the laptop he held in his hand. He instinctively knew what to do as he turned it on. When he got to the login screen, he was puzzled, but he ran a hack program that gave him access to the computer's files. He frowned as it was a list of personnel files and classified documents. It was mainly on a race known as "Alesians". He frowned. Wasn't that the race of the leader guy who looked like him? He scanned them, fascinated by what he read. These Alesians were the most advanced race he had ever seen, including that of the Eldar. The files on their soldiers were frightening to say the least. White armored warriors that shot plasma bolts out of their wrists, with the fire rate of 100 bolts a second. He winced at the thought. Such weapons would make them able to take on the Space Marines of the Adaptes Astartes with relative ease, not to say anything about normal human soldiers. He wondered if they were still around, but he frowned as he remembered the armor of the one called Amann. Was that not identical to......he decided to check. He took out a wrist device and activated it, connecting to the Spirit's computer. He played the recording from the abandoned Imperium ship. He spoke as the Imperial captain died from the plasma burst on his chest. Freeze. Zoom in on indiciated area, and enhance."

He looked as the white armored xeno was shown clearly for the first time. His blood froze. It was the same! The Alesians were alive and well! And they were human looking like the computer files said. He needed to tell Ni Fang about this new development immediately.

From a hilltop and an old shack, Jinjin watched everything going on, he felt two newborns, one of them warpborn. Hmm, He thought. The Empress could have use for the children, but that craft, stealth wil lbe needed to find out more of it. and where it comes from. He knew nothing of the stargatesystem being rebuilt, only of small numberso f Imperial ships going missing near the Kronos Expanse. He had his eyes on the prize now. All he had to do was isolate them.

Thrice damned woman,stealing away my targets! he thought after finding out his soldiers were scared off by a woman of age and skill with magic who had saved both the TechMedic and his first of many targets. He lated killed both Eldar for their insolence, and hired more to try to isolate them all. Fan was the top target, but he was unable to get the girl alone anymore, another was always with her. Killing a daemon was easy to Jinjin, but he wanted Fan.... _Alive_.

Now when it came to the more controlled daemon, that of Ni-Fang,he had more trouble, the human techmedic fell qucikly from what he was told by his now dead soldiers, but it took longer for the daemon possessed to fall to the sudden overash.

He didn't care, all he wanted at that moment was to find out as much as he could of his targets, and this new craft...

Ni-Fang and Hieronyma arrived at the foot of the ramp to the Dawn, the eight hundred meter long craft rested of three legs, one under the nose and two under the large hangar bay in the back end. it was a thin craft, and strangely not as fast as it once was, at least until Ni-Fang began tweaking things inside it thanks to that headgrabber seven months before.

Before anything could be said between the two women they heard the sounds of crying, two infants had been born, and Ni-Fang knew in her heart that Hieden had returned. But for good or ill she did not know, nor did she care at that point when she felt someone slightly larger then her get her into a bear hug "Wha? HIEDEN!" Ni-Fang said recognizing his scent instantly letting him hug her.

"Hello Captain, miss me?" He said when she stared at him after the hug he said simply, "its me. I'm back." Hieronyma went into the medbay after bading the three people, (Fan, Hieden and Ni-Fang) to wait but a moment then she called them in at Linelles request. She held two children in her arms, on her left, the boy, with bright brown weyes, in her right, a girl, clearly the warp born of the two as she was wide awake looking everywhere at once. her eyes a nearl colorless diamond white, but she was not blind one bit.

The girl noticed Hieden and recognized him first as her father and started to whimper, as if wanting to be held by the man, Linelle smiled and when Hieden was close enough allowed him to take hold of the little girl. who instantly went to sleep in Hiedens arms. "I think she was waiting for you to arrive." Linelle said quietly. irt was a harrowing experiance, but not anything she would want to go through a second time, if ever again. Hiedens only response other then a smile at the sleeping infant in his arms was a kiss on Linelles cheek.

Ni-Fang stood at the door watching, as did Fan, at least until she stepped forwards at bidding of her daemon, if her Diae had other children, would she be considered still part of his family? From the look on Hiedens face she had no need to worry, she alway was part of his family. One thing she worried about however was how much control the little girl would have over her daemon within her.

Pretas tapped Ni-fang on the shoulder after doing a bit of looking for her, he held the odd black case in his hand, opened to the screen, and also some files. "Captain, I think there is something you should see" He said pulling her aside to another room, showing her the files he had found. "I think the files we found in the underground tunnle system, and this vox are connected in some way, yet the armor of these Xenos are more stylized and newer in appearance rather the nthe holovox we found in the mountainside." He told her.

Ni-fang shifted through two files, finding the Dr Frank Lorenzo, and also that of Amann, and also bringing up her own techPriests file and compairing the pictures of al lthree, all of them looked similar to Pretas, but only Pretas had that typical dangerous appearance. the other two looked more business like, as if they hated taking pictures of themselves. "This one, his armor is old yet colored similar to the xeno in the holovox recording." She said. Pretas nodded.

"And there is more, apparently this group of Xenos is somehow related to this man, but since their armor is newer I do not understand of why they'd be hidden for so many years, we've rarely heard of them as it is." Pretas opened another file showing the Xenos currently controlled systems, almost two fifths of the Astralis sector was under their control, including a tomb world, and three void worlds, and only one warp world. it also showed a mining operation on the tombworld and a battle record against the Ork war machine. "and that's not all" Pretas added pressing another key. several pictures appeared on the laptop screen. all of them ships, Ni-Fangs breath caught in her throat and she gagged for a full minute at the sight of ther magjestic craft. Which looked far better in appearance then any gothic class ship she had ever seen.

"These were within that battle zone we flew through and nearly got killed in! but those other ships, those were Chaos Maruders, not Ork overridden craft. do you think these Xenos would have skill at ship making instead of other items" She scanned the file of the Alesians footsoldier, plasma weapons, similar to a lascarbine or lasflint pistola. A catos (100) of shots a second! she thought, staring at the file, surely a misprint, she figured, she'll believe it when she sees it in action. Just like Hiedens return. Now all they had to do was figure out what exactly did Hieden do, and where did he go when he died, there was no body found, the Barog didn't burn him away as they had feared, he had simply disappeared!

A family of sorts had gathered around Linelle and Hieden, Ni-Fang bent over and looked intently at the little flame haired girl, and was amazed as the child's eyes chnaged from milky white to a very pale blue and back again. Fan held the small boy and she appeared as if she was in a dream, rocking him back and forth, soft words coming to her lips, from a past memory.

Linelle looked pale and exhausted but happy as she shooed the fussing midwife away, and Pretas stood there grinning like a silly boy until Linelle realised why he had such and expression and quickly pulled her medlab gown closed over her chest. Hieronyma and Andea tried to keep everyone quiet, but the babies did not seem to mind the constant chatter. At last the clamour died down and Ni-Fang turned to Hieden.

"It was a surprise to see you..appear thus. Tell us everything that has happened."

He told them all he could, well there was some he left out, but in a way they got the drift he was something out of the ordinary. He could not tell Ni-Fang exactly what it was that he used as a shield or the power he posessed when he pushed the two girls away, and that he did not lie, he wasn't so sure himself. Finally he told them about the friends who had helped him while he was "away" and Linelle sat up and said at the end.

"Then that is the names I choose for our children, Ellizabeth and Daniel." She said smiling.

"Yes they sound strong names." Hieronyma said.

Xi Lan was brooding in her throne room. The news given t oher through Jinjins advance scouts reported that Hieden was once more alive and well. out ofrage she killed both soldiers and had the bodies taken away. "I have a new plan, send whatever troops Jinjin will require, in the meantime, take the path of Krone near the Astralis and Kronos sectors. There are three worlds there. Take them all as our own, we will strip mine them and use thesupplies to build our ships." She stood and left her thrown room, walking swiftly. Two men stood guard at her bedchambers doors.

When she shut the doorsbehind her, the gold plated walls of odd symboles greeted her. Her eyes glowed briefly before neededto think. She went over ot a holographic voxand scanned afew items out. She had a few designs that could appear unnoticed to the Empire of Man and also the uprising Xenos on the Spanse to the south. What she saw on the screen made her smile.

Sixteen Pyriamd ships. Ha'taks, they were called. using stolen technology from a ageless empire (the Aleisans) before Lord Yu took over Anubis's realm 36,000 years before after the old empires demise from internal strife, the technology had never been upgraded, but had been used slightly on ships of the Laraxan fleet. She ordered in her master ship builders. When they assembled in the chamber she showed them what she required. They replied. "with the resources we have, all these and more can be built in a months time, they are realatively small and asgile compairedot the Empires fleet of craft. and be design alone, faster as well."

"How many can we have ready before I make my next move?"

"How many do you require?"

"One, for now"

"Within three days the ship you require can be finished, given the resources and crew to construct the craft." Came the reply.

"Good, I want the craft finished, and ready as my personal flagship. You know what that means" It pretty much meant, the best ship possible, no skinting on any details. If anything was skinted, she'd kill. The five men nodded and once taking the plans got to work as quickly as possible in the shipyards.

A week passed then for them on their planets area. in Laraxans time it was 18 hours to a day, and ten hours ot a night. Shorter the nthat of a Terran Hour, be even then, two weeks could go by on a Laraxan world, and only five days had gone by on Holy Terra, or Mars.

It was time to make the first move, soldiers weresent to a garrison near Lokika, for Jinjins needs only shehad ordered. Then she herself headed for Likika, bypassing the garrisons location and taking the golden craftbuilt Ha'tak, using stolentechnololgy and with enough firepower (with good targeting) to take the planet. But instead, they landed on the nearby moon, of the seven moonsLokia had, unseen only as a comet to those on the planet. the golden Ha'tak landed without trouble on the barran moon.

Word did not reach Ni-Fangs mother Xue Shen until three weeks time had passed when shipping orders begain to be missed and Holy Terras Ore supply wasrunning low. Xue Shen appeared in Ni-Fangs area, who odd as irt might have seemed at the time, insisted that Hieden move his family into the private Brown River complex rather then remain in the Valley or the Dawn. The children were growing quickly. And the little firehaired girl was already struggling within for control of her self, as the Daemons were already fully grown.

When Xue Shen arrived everyone saw the look on her face, something was going on, something not good either when both Fan and Ni-Fang spoke to Xue Shen in Lokiaen, only Hieronyma understanding them both. Thankfully for the last of the three she had no sightingsof her elder brother Acali, nor any of her other sisters, though she had several talks of healing herbs with the gardener, her own father, yet never let on who she truly was to the man.

When Xue Shen left Fan looked a bit troubled, but Ni-Fangs face was set in a grim line. When Hieden inquired she replied, "MerTelComs shipping from Lokia has some how been cut. Holy Terra relied on Lokia for the kathian Ore when we weren't transporting it ourselves on the Spirit. Mother thinks it is Xi Lan, why mother would think it one that discraded a sacred mountain temple by entering it I'll never know."

The look on Hiedens face and also Fans face prompted her to explain. Linelle pointed out mistaken bitsas well, but even so Ni-Fang knew pretty muhc all of it rightly. "Xi Lan was only ten years of age, half my own, when she was told never to venture up the West Mountain to the Mountain Temple atop it, as it was a sacred burial ground. Nevertheless Xi lan went up the mountain, and came back, different, she was stronger, smarter, and had desacrated the Buddhas burial place no doubt. but she never had anything of Buddha's temperment, she was more darker thne anything, she managed to seduce somemen and flee before we rose against her. But that was well before my time, even the time of my mother. It happened during Grandfather Hau's time I think, as a legend passed down." She noticed the look on Hiedens face, and said simply. "Yes?" The look in her eyes was enough to prompt Hieden to keep back nothing.

"I think Xi Lan also gained immortality, but limited, if rested enhough she is hard to kill. otherwise she is fair game. But she leads the Laraxan troops. and as Cirir said, Jinjin woirks with them now, but who his target is, I am unsure."

"Pretas also showed me something, I think I know where to find the Xenos mentioned in the holovox we found on that deadship nine months ago." Ni-Fang said. "Pretas said the armor of the xenos is similar in appearance to that of the one we found on the vox recordedholo machine of General.... Carter was it?" Hieden nodded,apparently he knew her at some point. "Pretas found a vox machine as well. Within it was these" She had gone over to the deck and dug into it a bit, removing the glas rod and incerting it into the blac vox system. the imagiaes of the Alesian ships appeared.

That meant trouble. The Xenos were massing for something, and Ni-Fang still had yet to tell what exactly she had been doing on the Spirit for the last two weeks.....

Gera watched the Techmedic as he slipped from corner to corner, making sure to not be seen. However, he was a soldier, not trained in stealth. Hieronyma knew he was following her, and was getting quite annoyed. She glared back behind her. "I know you're there."

Gera smirked slightly as he stepped out. He said in a smug voice. "I was merely taking the same route you were."

"Somehow, I don't believe you." The timid woman turned and walked away, mumbling to herself angrily. This was the final straw. She was under enough stress as it is without a paranoid TechPriest sending his bodyguard after her.

Pretas was in his quarters working on more gadgets, his hands running over the complex machinery. He ran over it, muttering slightly. he was at home here, with machines surrounding him. It calmed him down the most. Hieronyma walked into his quarters, looking a bit irritated. "Dammit, Pretas, stop sending Gera after me! I am not a Sister of Battle, or anything!" She was trembling a little, and though she spoke firmly, it was still barely audible.

Pretas looked up and flinched slightly, her very presence making his head pound in pain. He put his hand near his pistol in alarm. "Don't sneak up on me! I know what you are!" His eyes burned with anger and hatred. Hieronyma flinched back when she saw him eying his pistol.

"Yes, a TechMedic." She hesitated. "A- and who cares if I am a- a Nully Psyker, if you're right..."

"You are a Sister of Battle! Only powerful null psykers that truly exist are mainly in their ranks! And even if you were not a Sister, you just happen to be on a ship that carries someone who is on the run from them! I have a 10 million credit price on my head and I will not turn myself over to the Sisters!"

Hieronyma's eyes widened. She had no idea... "W- well they want me, too, you know!" she stuttered. "For desertation..."

Pretas laughed. "A likely cover story. It is far more likely you want me dead! I know you do! Everyone else does except for the crew here, and most of the lower ranks know nothing of me!"

Hieronyma's normally calm features twisted with rage. "You have no idea what I have gone through!" she screamed at him, clenching her fists. She laughed. "You are so paranoid." She smiled mockingly. "Paranoid Pretas."

Pretas stopped suddenly. His face twisted in black bitter anger. "What did you call me? "

Seeing his anger, Hieronyma's rage disappeared. She flinched back. "P- paranoid Pretas," she stammered in her tiny voice.

Pretas calmed down with an effort and spoke in a suddenly weak voice. "Leave this place. Get out....." He groaned, and placed a hand to his forehead, trying to ignore her non-presence. "Go!"

Hieronyma flinched back. "O- ok- okay..." She backed towards the door.

Pretas turned suddenly and walked into the inner part of his quarters, where a crash was heard a second later. Alarmed and worried, Hieronyma rushed after him. Pretas had thrown a glass in anger at the wall, but he was now on his knees shaking in fear and bitterness. Hieronyma approached him cautiously, kneeling down next to him. "Calm," she said, her voice soothing. Pretas did not appear to hear her as he shook. Tears ran down his face as he felt walls closing in on him.

Hieronyma wrapped her arms around him, and helped him to stand. "Calm...let's get you to the Infirmary."

Pretas let himself be guided. He did not know where he was or what was going on, his mind was wandering free through the Warp, driven mad with the stress and the worry and the pain. Hieronyma guided him to one of the beds, speaking soothingly. She gave him a sedative to help him sleep, and covered him with a blanket. She sat down a good distance away to watch him, and started writing in her journal, keeping an eye on him as she did so.

Pretas twitched slightly as he slept, his mind was in shambles. Something in him had snapped the last control he had over his mind when Hieronyma had confronted him and mocked him to his face. He already hated most of the crew for their mocking him for his paranoia. Occasionally Pretas would cry out in fear or terror at sights of imagined Sisters of Battle operatives. Being on the run for the past year left him with no friends, no one to trust, and everyone as enemies.

Pretas blinked open suddenly, he saw her over him and he shrank away in terror. "Go away......." It was clear the man was terrified of her.

Hieronyma smiled gently, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm...I am not going to hurt you." Her eyes showed genuine concern. Pretas shuddered, but did not move away. He laid his head back down and shook. Hieronyma kept holding his hand, and had her other hand on his shoulder gently. "It's okay...

He spoke weakly to her. "You have no idea what it is like to run for your life when they want you as bad as they wanted me. Having to sleep in cargo holds, or sneak aboard passenger ships in baggage areas. With no friends, no family, no one to trust at all. Only potential enemies and real enemies that want you killed.

Hieronyma placed her hand on his forehead. "I know...I know. Just rest, you are under too much stress..."

"Everyone hates Alpha class psykers. They are killed on sight unless they can be captured easily. I did not want that.....I just wanted to be normal, not used as a weapon against daemons all the time, eventually burning out because my mind cannot take much more of it."

"Shhh..." Hieronyma soothed. She ran her thumb in little circles on the back of his hand, a soothing guesture. "Don't speak. You need rest."

Pretas stared at her with eyes that were finally open for the first time. His glances were hard beforehand, now they only reflected pain and fear. "A Sister at my weakest point would have shot me in the head with a bolter...."

"I am no Sister," Hieronyma said quietly. "I think you have your proof."

Pretas nodded as he leaned back and closed his eyes. Hieronyma smiled, and sat by him the rest of the night, still holding his hand. He slept deeply during the night, finally at ease. Hieronyma grew tired near the morning, and curled up on a nearby bed, asleep.

Night fell on Holy Terra at the Private Brown River complex that belonged to Ni-Fangs family. It housed the Dawn and also the Spirit, After explaining only the minor details from what her mother was able to tell her Ni-Fang slid out of sight, to the place where the Spirit was moored, upon entering the engine room she felt slightly more at home. Shehad done the same modification to the Dawns steering sdystem and propuslion system, and before that, also to her own fighter, Windfire. Adding what Pretas called a "Cloaking Device" to the fighter and also to the Dawn. Now all she had to do was give more speed to the Spirit and also a cleaking system as well. She got down to business, finding the proper space in the wall near the control board in the electirc room she traced the wires upwards into the ceiling and into the hall to the next chamber, cargo hold seven. Mainly used for supplies for the crew themselves.

She had left the soldiers to Gera and also to Hieden, Gera for the teaching of the men. And Hiedeni for the hiring of same. She herself focused soley on the task before her. She had worked on the engines for two weeks now, then Hieden returned anf her swim with Hieronyma felt good. Now she had reason to finish before things got progressivly worse. Pulling the wires from the wall she begain building a box, which appeared as a tangle of wires at first, then became a coil of some kind.

Several hours passed, the night was growning old when she placed the last wire into its proper connection. With a pop the wires powered up. She felt the Spirit give a small thrum of energy. It was set, the enegines had better push now to travel through the warp.

Now to work on that new shield. She thought picking at a few more wires as she went back into the control room for the wires throughout the ship. This time finding the proper wires she headed in their direction, up below the bridge. one level below it in fact. Once where she needed to be she began poking things apart, something dripped into her eyes, figirung it oil of some kind she contiuned to work. But it was not brake oil, nor was it any kind of oil. It was the fog of sleep.

It wasn't until six hours later Hieden found her asleep in the shield control room. a tangle of wires about her. With so much as a shake of her, Hieden woke the woman up, and asked her sinmply, "Is something going on lass?"

"Yes, can you not tell?" She made no moption to get up to leave getting right back to work without missing a beat. Right where she fell asleep at. seeming ot know exactly what to place where.

"rewiring the void shields are we?"

"Mhm, nine of them only provide enough strength against a Ork vessel, but nothing against anything the Chaos craft can send our way. So i'm rewiring a few spots to give greater strength." She replied. How did she know all this? She wasn't telling Hieden, no matter what he tired on her he'd not get it out of her. It wasn't until she mentioned something of her "fron hurting" did he start to get truly conmfused and go looking for Fan. Maybe she would know....

He found Fan with Linelle of course, he knew she would be there, nursing one of the children on her lap, it seemed whenever she was with them, her daemon went into hiding, and she preferred it that way, so she spent more and more time everyday, to the point of setting up a small bed for herself in the nursery Ni-Fang's mother had provided for them. For some unknown reason, she spent more time with Daniel, but never neglected her little 'sister' either. Hieden bent and kissed Linelle as she fed Elizabeth, and she smiled at him, it was the most peaceful he had seen her in ages, and a lot of the Eldar animosity toward her from others had disappeared as well, he was happy in his heart, but now this thing with Ni-Fang troubled him.

He tapped Fan lightly on the shoulder and whispered he needed a word with her, she placed the little boy in his crib and walked into the hallway and quietly closed the door.

"Yes Daie, you wanted something?"

"Aye lass, there is a problem with your sister, I need to resolve, maybe ye kin enlighten me." He said, his tone serious.

"Yes, but first a question daie. When you fought the Barog, you had a shield about you, that is no skill for any mortal, even a pysker, or daemon possessed, how did you do that, is that what saved you and sent you back in time?"

He thought for a moment, he knew if he told here everything, the wrath of his teachers and handlers would not be kind. So he had to lie, which he hated doing.

"It was an Ancient device I found not long ago, a personal shield, but it was destroyed when ah was sent into the void, but somehow lass, it's energy was absorbed in me, I think at some time ah kin call upon it if ah hae the will. " There that should do and exlplain if ever he had to do it again.

"I see...well then what did you want to ask about Ni-Fang?" Clearly she did not believe him, Fan was very intuitive, and he would have to be careful in future.

"Right lass, when you and your sister were alone with Pretas in the mountain complex, did she use any device there?"

Fan thought for a moment, sometimes her own memories became unclear with memories twisted within the warp, but at last she remembere. "Yes, she did, but I don't know what it was, there were....."

"Bright coloured lights?" Heideden finished for her.

"Yes."

_"That fool girl."_ He thought. He thanked Fan and left, took a skimmer and headed for the underground outpost, it was night now but there were eyes watching.

JinJin had returned to his small camp in the hills and scanned the valley with his glass, evenin the dark gloom, he saw the silver little craft enter the large entrance of what was once known as the SGC.

Three weeks had passed, and only small supply ships had been stopped from leaving or goint ot the planet below when Empress Xi Lan made her next move, three dozen ships appeared from the warp. All of them golden and brozne pyramid in appearance. The ships created a ring around the planet, making a network that no ships could leave, or land. In her flagship Xi Lan spoke orders. "Disconnect all commincations! Make sure no craft leave the planet, or land upon it." Her orders were carried out swiftly.

But before all comminucations could get carried out, a small databurst was sent to Holy Terra, to MerTelComs main offices in the Heartland. (New York City area), which meant that help would not arrive for at least another four Lokikaen weeks. (Two earth weeks.)

Xi Lan smiled from her space in her ship; all she had to do now now was land, but she wanted more troops first. She sent a callto her base of operations for more troops to be gathered, the garrison for Jinjin were to be made ready to move at his command to lay siege to MerTelCom main offices soon as possible on Holy Terra

One thing she did not count on was a odd craft being found on the largest moon of Lokika. It was not of chaos, nor Empire make at all, but it was sleek in lines. Nothing in her warp tainted memory could find what the craft was, same for what was within her, Lord Yu recognized the craft, an old Asgard warship. Apparently never used, docked there, as if it had always been there. Lord Yu did not let this memory be known to Xi Lan, instead he noticed something else he knewshe would need, and focused on that.

Weapons. They would need weapons from that ship. Though old, it would do.

Pretas awoke with a start, he blinked open. He had slept good, but he was still rather exhausted from his terror and his insanity fit. He noticed Hieronyma sleeping in the bed next to his own and he slowly got up and groaned slighly. He finally put his feet on the floor and made to walk out of the infirmery.

Hieronyma sat up, and stared at him. "You can't go until I discharge you."

Pretas jumped slightly and turned around. "I thought you were sleeping."

"I was," Hieronyma replied.

Pretas looked at her. "Why can't I go?"

Hieronyma stood up and walked over. "I would like to keep you at least another hour...you hit your head and I want to make sure you aren't still delusional."

Pretas frowned. "Wait, when did I hit my head?"

"When you fell."

Pretas groaned. "How badly?"

"Not that badly. But I just want to make sure you are alright. " She stepped back. "I am not hurting you, am I?"

"Only a little, it seems to not be nearly as bad if i don't think about it."

Hieronyma nodded. "Alright then, just making sure." She went back and leaned against the wall, sighing. She watched Pretas from the corner of her eye.

Pretas shook slightly, he was no longer that nervous around her, but he was still slightly wary.

Hieronyma appeared tired, and looked slightly worried and nervous about something. She was obviously still scared of Pretas.

Pretas looked at her. "What is it? You seem tired. Get some sleep."

"Nothing," Hieronyma said quietly. "I'm fine."

Pretas looked at her."Ok, but I am not sure what to do here. I am to sit here for an hour?"

Hieronyma sighed. "I guess you could go..."

Pretas looked at her. "Tired? Perhaps you should lay down."

"I-I think you are right.." Hieronyma laid down on a bed shakily, and curled up in a ball.

Pretas sat down on the bed next to hers. "What is it?"

"I-I am sorry..." Hieronyma said shakily. "I-it's just that..." She looked at him, and her voice trailed off. "Y-you were so mean to me..."

Pretas looked at her with an expression of pity. "I did not mean to be. I thought you were an assassin sent to kill me."

Hieronyma sat up, shaking slightly. "I guess I should have expected it..I have been treated this way my whole life."

"I feared the Sisters for the past year, they want me dead. It had nothing to do with you personally."

"I-I know...but this is a common experience for me." She turned around. "Do not worry about it."

Pretas walked up behind her, he winced slightly, but he put his arms around her. "Shhh......it will be ok. This is as much your home as mine." Hieronyma flinched, and remained tense for a few minutes, but eventually relaxed. She was still shaking slightly, but said nothing. Pretas just held her, not saying anything.

Hieronyma just leaned back against him, crying slightly. She twisted her head to look at him. "Thank you..."

Pretas closed his eyes. "It is nothing...."

Hieronyma actually smiled at him. It was the first time he had seen her smile.

Pretas was stunned. She was pretty when she smiled.

After a few minutes, Hieronyma stepped away from him. "Thank you," she whispered in her tiny voice.

Pretas nodded slightly. "It was nothing....."

Hieronyma nodded again, and motioned towards the door. "You can go, if you want..."

Pretas made to walk for the door but he turned around. "Perhaps......I will show you something later. Come to my quarters in a few hours."

Hieronyma nodded nervously. "O-okay..."

Hieden wandered the maze of halls, finding the one that held the (now busted) doorway leading to the now dormant headgrabber. Just by looking at the thing Hieden figured out what had happened within a heartbeat. He was dreaded for the most part of what he'd find, and hoped it wasn't true, it had taken Jack only fourteen hours, maybe twenty at most, to start to fall apart and do odd things. But Ni-Fang had her head grabbed almost a year before!!

Maybe it was her control over her daemon that allowed the headgrabber to work on her, and not Pretas or Fan? Hieden hoped thwey'd manage to find someone, maybe even Thakis, or Yishdelh, anyone who had the know how still of ejecting the information downloaded into Ni-Fangs mind. She was a marvel that was for sure. the fact she had yet to fully fall over to the never ending database within her mind. Hieden let out a breath. and left the chamber, heading upwards. It would take too long to try and dig out the gate from Fort 51.

Within Ni-Fangs private chamber a knock sounded on her door, but it was not Hiedens knock, Ni-Fang had finished the rewiring of the void shields and returned to her chambers ot bathe and thus try to get the oil from her hair when the knock sounded. It meant something was up. "Enter." Ni-Fang said calmly after making sure her attire was right enough for the servants and soldiers. Acali entered. "What is it?" She asked him. When he had told her she looked shaken. So the words were true, Lokika was under siege. By Xi Lan, the Sacred Mountain desicrator! "Send for Hieden". When Acali had left Ni-fang went to the colset area and changed. into an odd type of battle dress. Deep red, with a slash of ice white across the right shoulder to under the left arm. on the left shoulder was black cloth. it was an odd type of battle dress no doubt. yet one that normally imposed fear into their enemies.

Pretas watched for a little while as Hieronyma drifted into a deep sleep, he quietly closed the medlab door and left the Dawn, walking the short distance to Hiedens fighter, he nodded to one of Geras soldiers, who gave him a "Sir". and proceeded to climb the crude ladder the villages had made to, lean against the grey craft and gain access to the cockpit. He clambered over the edge, open the ever present Dell box he carried always with him, and with a suitable cable he had found in the place they called the SGC, he plugged it into an appropite socket. Data immediatley came streaming onto the screen, he was ecstatic, he could not believe how advanced this civilisation of forty thousand years ago really were. He sat there for some time, until sleep forced his eyes shut.

Hieden gained the lower levels of the complex, he was amazed continually at the preservation. Though some water had penetrated the gateroom, the moisture did not reach the upper levels and especially those areas only he knew how access. He walked a corridor marked LEVEL 19 NORTH, and came to a locked door, he retrieved the small plastic card that had been in his case and hoped it still worked. Sliding the card in a slot on a wall control, he heard the audible click of the door unlock.

Entering, Williams memeories flooded him, it was as if he only sealed the complex yesterday, this was his own quarters, that which he shared with his then wife Anne, also a member of the SGC, as Chief Surgeon to the fleet, he crossed the room after turning on the light, and opened a locker, though most of his possessions went with him on that last voyage on the Dreadnaught, in his haste to leave, some small few things remained. His dress whites, a small photo folder. He opened it and almost dropped it. Here was Xue Shen's face looking back at him! A mortal human, his wife Anne, but the same eyes and face, save the upswept ears of the Lokikan. Small tears ran from his eyes. He turned a page and saw the grown up images of their two children, Ben and Katie, he held the folder for a moment longer and closed it. He reached further back into the locker and grabbed something he wanted, that drove him here in the first place, a USB stick for the laptop Pretas kept with him. He would have to get that away from him soon. Another item fell out of the locker, another exopack, this one marked with a name on it clearly written in a flair that Anne always had. A single tear trailed down his cheek. He remembered that scrapped mission.

Hieden then left and headed for what he knew to be level twenty six, lab room eight, he was glad the power cells were still so active, the word naquada generators flitted thorugh his mind.

Walking through the complex, images flashed through his mind of the last week here so many years ago. No one really knows how it started. One moment for the last few years the Earth was united in the Stargate programme, fighting in two galaxies, the Lucian Alliance in one and the remnants of the Wraith in the other. Both had finally been defeated but not by Earth alone, they had now many helpful allies in both galaxies. But then two years before the final end, someone had given ceratain countries who had chosen to stay out of the Stargate programme, because as they claimed it clashed with their religious views of the universe; a complete detailed data chip containing everything on the ships of the Space Alliance. Those countries allied themself with another and within months began at first buliding enmasse the smaller cruisers the SGC had developed, then moving onto the larger ships.

It started with a world wide shortage of food, and famine in centraland northern Africa and across the Middle East. Then demands for relief from the wealthier countries, which were no better off, there simply was not enough to go around. Then on a hot and dry summers day in the northern hemisphere, when a large portion of the SGC Space Alliance fleet was occupied eleswhere, the attacks began from orbiting cruisers and Holy Ships of the Allah Alliance. It was over before it had begun, the SGC fleet could do little by the time it returned, and those that were nearest were defeated or boarded. The only thing left was to get as many people out and to other worlds as quicklly as possible......the last thing William MacGregor did before beaming to his ship the Dreadnaught, was to set off explosions that would bury the complex entrances from above.

He shook his head and continued on...a brief picture of Ni-Fang up to her knees in muddy water and the look on her face after she fell down those stairs not too long ago, that was a priceless image in his mind he chuckled to himself. Not so dainty then me lass. He said to the empty walls.

He used a elevator and quickly found the room, their in the centre was his old friend Jacks Head Grabber one of three found by SG1, two destroyed, this last one found only weeks before the final retreat. He placed his face over the shaped viewer and the mysterious hands took his head gently, not like it did with those who were not of his lineage. He remembered Daniels description of the two times Jack had used other devices, it wasnt so gentle on him.

To others unlike himself or his brethren, it was just a mind numbing swirl of coloured images, to him it was data. He went through file after and found two he was looking for, then he scanned for users. The Losar, as it was called in the Furling tongue, as it was they who built these devices, loosley translated into current language meant simply file transfer; showed him the most recent users over the millenia, the faces of both his mother and grandmother were seen, one he two others he knew, Janus and Mordin. Then there was a long gap, as little as one hundred years ago, Daniel Jackson. Oh Dannyboy, you sneaky ascended bastard! He thought. It then jumped forward to the present. Ni-Fang, Bloody hell, stupid girl, I thought as much. Hieden/ William spat in disgust.

He pulled his face away, and reached under the front and felt for a panel only he or one such as he would know existed, a touch of his hand, the panel opened and he reached in and removed the main memory crystal. Angry he left the complex and took the skimmer directly to Ni-Fangs home.

Yus symbiote struggled with his host for more years than he should have lived, or any being for that matter, but living in this hateful creature, this abonimation that was not even Ori anymore, drove him to the point of madness. She allowed him to sleep at times, for hundreds of years even, but then just for her own curiosity, she would revive him and plunder his secrets of the long dead Goauld. But he had tricks of his own, he managed to learn to compartmentalise his some of his thoughts and memories, and one she would never see was his last moments his old host had.

Standing there in his finest attire he saw the Tauri woman he knew as Samantha Carter brought before the assembled System Lords, but it happened so fast, the bladed arm peircing his hosts body, and the clattering of replicators soon after. In the confusion, one of his guards was quick enough to bodily lift the old man and carry him to his Scout ship, there may or may not have been replictors on board, but almost dead he remembers vaguely sometime after being placed in a sarcophagus, near his mountain home. Some time passed, his hosts body too old and to damaged to repair, he left the body and healed himself, a very small creature laying next to the decaying corpse until that fateful day, the lid slid open.

The Ori armies had conquered a number of Goauld planets before the Tauri had been able to at last deal with them, but what they did not know was, that Adria was not unique. The Ori had foresaw their defeat, and in a bold plan, seeded a number of their own believers with children just like her, and spread them throughout the fleets, so that one day in the future they may once again be a power. A number of them were born, grew and ascended as planned, but what became of them is unknown, being in the Ancients own backyard so to speak. Yet one did not follow them, she had a will of her own and ambitions of her own.

Yu's small reptilian eyes blinked as he looked up at the small girl child looking down at him. No more than thirteen or fourteen, she bent and picked him up. "I know who you are." she said. "I have plans for us." The last thing the Goauld symbiote of Yu remembered was the fire that glowed in her wicked eyes as she made him penetrate her white skinned neck.

Lord Yu knew for a fact it had been too long, far too long. Yet Xi Lan, the wicked child of a Prior and a Lokikaen woman of his own linage made him think twice of things to do and say. Recalling to his mind the event that had them meet. The girl, no older then fourteen years of age, had found him, and forced her will to him. It was not until minutes after arriving back at the city she resided in did the truth be known and the name that would follow her through ten thousand years be placed upon her. He felt oddly at calm about that. Though he hated his prison and wanted freedom, freedom to sleep in peaceful rest once more.

Yet it was not so. Lord Yu recalled many things known to him through the woman he was within by force of will, but not his will. He had grown tired of the woman, and she wanted to finish what the replicators had started yet failed to do.

In this case, she wanted to retake her home world. Lokika. As her own once more. She grew up there. Until she had finally broken the seal after failing to figure out the rune codex time and time again. She had what she needed, but at age fourteen, she needed more. Even with Lord Yu within her, she was never able to flee the name which she had been called. Disgracer of sacred spaces. In some cases a Tomb Robber. Yet in others far worse

But time passed, ten thousand years to be exact. And Xi Lan had become more of a leader, then a spoiled girl of fourteen years of age! Over time Xi Lan had mastered Lord Yus resistance to her will, and mastered the snake within her. Once that was done she began to gather those she knew were loyal still to the Grand Army of Allah (as it was called in later tales of the First War, which later became known as the Terretek-Lokikaen War (2014-2021, 3108-9)), Taking on those that shared her vision yet lacked the right leader, Xi Lan declared herself the Empress. Renaming the Grand Army of Allah to the Laraxan Force Core. Any that resisted were crushed, those that wished to join swelled the numbers of the troop total. Soon her plan could be set forth

Using technology of the days long past, and normal modern ships of the time, Xi Lan built her naval forces over time, building new craft, stealing supplies. Having given full approval for whatever was needed to be taken at will of force or trade. But now these new ships, these Hataks. These would change things, these would change things immensely!

From the bridge of her flagship she watched as troops numbers once more started to set up into units to search the planet. It was as if one was playing a chess game. A game that Lord Yu found rather enjoyable, which she found odd. Yu was a thinker. A dangerous thinker. Lord Yu had given her only so much access to what he knew, and though she knew she had mastered him, there were some things he still got the drop on her. Things she refused to believe or do.

To the point of fighting over control of herself! Something she hated doing on a near daily basis. It did not take long before reports started to arrive on the viewscreens scattered throughout the bridge. Lokikaen text scrolled across the screens. Showing reports of ships captured, troops taken captive or killed, injuries taken.

But what interested her the most was MerChanTile Companys location. She wanted the building taken and not damaged. That would take some doing. But what alerted her was they were not fast enough in disrupting connection to the galaxy as a whole. A warning got out. It was sent to Holy Terra. Lord Yu took control then, Xi Lan's eyes flared gold as Lord Yu growled something. Earth, earth was to blame for his troubles! With not so much as a mental thought Xi Lan regained control. For the moment.

Ni-Fang was braiding her hair, which in some areas still had oil black look to it, as Hieden knocked. "Enter" she said when she heard his footfalls, directly before he started knocking, did she know he was coming? surely she did as she sent for him. She went to her desk, picking up the emrald chainsword as Hieden entered the room. He looked thoughtful. close to redfaced anger. But at what reason? "Is something on your mind Hieden?"

"Many things lass. Many things." Hieden replied. He took in her battle dress, blood red, a black shoulder, and a white slash, her hair braided in many places, whiplike it seemed. "For one i know of the headgrabber, why you wont tell me what you did with Pretas and Fan that day."

"That was long ago Hieden, that is in the past." Ni-fang said. It was all thanks to her Daemon that she manged to stay herself this long.

"True, but there is something more about that device then had been told to you. WEhen you accessed it, what did you see?"

"White light, felt something holding me, gently so. Then blacked out, Fan looked into it first, then Pretas did, nothing happened to either of them. Fan said she only saw..."

"Brightly colored lights, yes I know."

"Exactly, then you died, after wards I started a flight group of fighter poilts Linelle said you called them. With Geras help we havwe us a small fight group, we did hit and run attacks against two Ork ships, and several Chaos craft, and a lot of Laxaran craft as well." Her voice took on an icey tone as she turned away.

"Is something wrong lass?"

"It is the desacrator of the sacred Mountain, Xi Lan, she has laid siege to my mothers homeworld. using ships never seen before." She hissed. She turned back to Hieden, anger in her voice. "She has to be stopped!"

"Aye lass that she does. But who..?"

Ni-Fang cut him off. "You fell to the Baraeg, the daemon of Choas summoned by Jinjin, who hasn't been seen for nigh seven months. Yet you fell to his monster, now you are back, yet you refused to tell me how and why you're here! I have yet to tell father who you truly are for the sake of peace Hieden tell me, what is going on." It was her pleading look that made him think..... "Please."

"Alright," he said at last. "What do you want to know? I can only say so much."

"Start with how the holovox knew of you and Pretas." Ni-Fang said tersely. Hieden explained as best he could, some details he himself was barely able to recall clearly. When he was done she said simply, "Ascended, not dead then, you healed Fan, she said you and she spoke, and that she felt safe again long ago, but then you never returned with her. Kitras said Fan had been stabbed by Jinjin." So did Kran know his post as adoptive father to Daniel and Elizabth was only temporary, did Hieden tell him?

then she stumped him with a question about Xi Lan, one he had no idea if he could answer, "How much do you know of Xi Lan, the Desecrater of the Sacred Mountain?" She said, before he could answer she started to the hall, she needed a walk. "The Sacred Mountain was a temple, a Temple dedicated to one known only as Lord Kretain Xiu Shen Shao, the people of Holy terra said he was called Lord Yu, whatever that means. At any rate, the Sacred Mountain on Lokika we considered his burial tomb and allowed none near it. it was always looking over the villiages around it. none of those living there, or so Mother has said, went up the path, yet it was well kept and clean. At least none went until Xi Lan did. She was wicked to begin with." She explained how the girl was at first a nobelmans daughter, then after desecrating the Temple of Lord Yum she was stronger, smarter, eviler.

The only thing that Hieden knew from a mental connection with Morgan Le Fae, was that Xi Lan, was a very distance cousion of Fan, and Ni-Fangs. very distant, yet extremely close. Another thing he knew was that Lord Yu wanted out of the woman. Which was possibly why the siege of Lokika.

"You plan to go to the planet then?"

The response was simple and short. "Gather the crew of the Spirit, and asemble on the bridge of the Spirit by sunrise. We leave at noon tomorrow. I have a bone to pick with Empress Xi Lan."

Ni-Fang was about to leave when Hieden called her. "Lass, I do know about Xi Lan." Before he could utter another word, she turned on her heel and hit him hard on the chin, to her surpirse he did not even flinch, it was like hitting rock, he smiled at her wickedly "Upgrades....now do you wnat to know the truth or not?"

Ni-Fang rubbed her fist and bit her lip at the same time, a habit she had never shaken since she was a child, Hieden gently put his hand under her chin.

"Snow Leopard, Xi Lan is much older then your people believe, and she was not born of Lokikan blood as she has led the people to believe. She is the same as me, a form of Ancient we called the Ori." Ni-Fang noticed his voice had changed, he was speaking with another accent altogether, one she did not recognise but assumed it was William's. He pressed on.

"Lord Yu was almost dead, he was fatefully stabbed at a meeting of his peers, but one of his guard was able to rescue his body and place it in a device we called a sarcophagus, it can preserve life for millenia, he was taken to his homeworld. But Earth, as you know as Holy Terra, was embroiled not long after that with the Ori, they lost but not before they managed to leave a legacy of kinds in the form of children, born of the Ori's will and left behind in this galaxy. Xi Lan was one of those, she found Yu's sarcophagus only two years after he was interned, and she made his symbiote, her own."

Ni-Fang looked up at him. "But that means that she's......"

"Over forty thousand years old, impossible yes I know, but then Ni, I am older than her. We will bring her down."

Together arm in arm, they walked to the assmebly hall in the mansion, where Ni-Fang had one of the house guards send messages for all her people to come as quickly as possible.

As they waited for the others of ther crew to arrive Ni-Fang spoke to Hieden, her voice ice cold. "Lie to me again, and I will kill you personally" she said. the fact that Xi Lan was one that was as old as her family line itself, but Hieden older then she! How was that possible?! She turned away and began to pace. "Xi Lan desecrated the scared temple on Lokika, the burial site of a fear god of our people. She was a child at the time, young, younger then I. And yet, she became a leader of many, and is now laying siege to my mothers homeworld. She wants something. And by the look in your eyes Hieden something worries you."

Hieden knew he couldn't keep his mouth shut now. so he said, "Yes, something worries me. There was a ship, not of Terra design or make. Docked within one of them any moons of Lokika. from the report, golden pointed craft laying a blockade around the world, only sixteen ships yet many fighters. I fear we ave come to the old days of fighting in space."

"Nevertheless, We will meet her head on. She has my mothers world, and my company is at stake. If Lokika falls to the Laraxan Force Core army, Holy Terra will be next." Ni-Fang said as Cirir arrived first, followed by the three new muntants, then Pretas. Spotting the TechPriest, and the ever present black folding vox system, as Ni-Fang knew it as, even Pretas called it a Vox databank of some kind. Old habits and names die hard no doubt in this day and age. Ni-Fang said to him, "Where is Hieronyma?"

"Asleep" came the answer, Pretas seemed calmer now, not much of a hunted look in his eyes anymore.

"And Gera?"

"With the men" Pretas replied. He spotted Cirir, and Hieden, "Is something going on?"

"Lokika is under siege by the Laxaran Force Core army, unknown ships were sighted setting up a blockade around the planet." Ni-Fang said.

"That is not good. What's the plan?" PRetas was already wondering if he was even to ask that question.

"We take the Spirit, I have been workling in it for some time, I think it is ready to face Xi Lan, the tomb raider and desecrator of sacred spaces." Ni-Fang said she outlined her plan. The Spirit had only a few plasma batteries and some torpedo turrents, but nothing for full scale battle as yet. However she had several full wings of fighter craft. including Windfire, Ni-Fangs own fighter. And also enough room within the hangar bay to hold the Dawn. Yet Ni-Fang was not planning on losing the Spirit, for the ship would only fire if fired upon and would stay as far out system as possible.

"What of the fighters?" Hieden asked, "they would be seen as they neared the blockade."

"They have cloaking systems installed, I had some of Geras men, and also Cirir on hand to install similar devices from the odd nin man craft transport that is on the Dawn to the fighters. The sensor packages on each know where the other fighters in their respective wings are, yet the enemy fighters do not have such technology. Xi Lan laid siege to the planet, according to the word to my Mother, almost a month ago, Terra time. that would make it, almost three months on Lokika."

So Ni-Fang was planning to restart the Terratek-Lokikaen Wars? Was it time for a history lesson? (I think so)

Cirir spoke up, his rasping voice giving point for all to listen close lest they miss something. "What of the legends? are they true then of the Desecrator?" With a look from Hieden, Ni-Fang nodded. "There are several factions of the old Armies, most of the Empire army is here, in Holy Terras system, not off exploring or aiding other planets. For all any know, they are angered still with Lokika for the Old Wars long ago."

"And if Xi Lan succeeds in taking Lokika? what then for Holy Terra, it is a direct warp lane from Lokika to Holy Terra. When Lokika falls, Terra wil lbe next." Ni-Fang said. "Xi lan must be stopped before time runs thin for us all." They were taxed enough as it was already

"If we are to leave and get ot Lokika system beforfe long we best leave now." Pretas said. "perhaps if we were to also add the soldiers as well in case of boarding other craft?"

"That would take too long, by time we arrive Xi Lan would be on the planet, no doubt building up her city strength and otherwise." Ni-Fang said already brooding. It was bad enough Xi Lan was a system lords prison. but to tell the rest of the crew who and what she truly was. . ., Ni-Fang tried to not think about it.

"So we go to Lokika, just us, and our fighters, what then, knock on XiLans door, "hello we want to arrest you in the name of the Emperor come kindly please and we wont kill you off", I don't think that is gonna work." Pretas said with a huint of humor in his voice, already reminding Hieden a bit of Rodney McKay by the way he was acting with the technology from the complex.

Everyone then looked to Ni-Fang, "So.... what do we do? when do we leave?" was written on their faces, so she replied before any asked. "Make rady to leave dock on the Spirit. as soon as we are well supplied, we leave for Lokika, Mother will also wish to come. Why she never said, nor will she tell me." With that Ni-Fang gave a dark look towards Hieden before leaving the room quickly.

Hieden grabbed Ni-Fang's arm before she took two steps. "Stay lass. You will need to hear this." She shrugged away from him, she was still annoyed that he held back the truth before of Xi Lan. As he was about to speak, Linelle walked up beside him, attired for war. He and Ni-Fang looked at her, but the younger woman spoke first.  
"Where do yo think you're going Linelle?"

"With you, and don't try to stop me. You will have need of me and I have a score to settle."

"Not likely my dear, we can manage this one, what about the babes?" Hieden put in, getting that angry look on his face again. She came to him face to face so other's would not hear.

"The children are being taken care of, Kestre is with them and I will not argue over this I am going." He went to answer back and she so very gently stuck the point of her knife in his ribs. "Don't" Was all she needed to say. Ni-Fang shot her a heated look, but she knew the eldar could turn her inside out, daemon or not.

Hieden cleared his throat then and turned to the assemby. "Right then good people, there are a few wee facts ye all should know aboot what we're t' be facin'" He began. 'This Xi Lan is nae a fly by night wannabe. She has powers ye dinna nae want t' think aboot, but she can be stopped. Our biggest probelm lies with her new fleet, they will have shields, so I wanna make sure the fighter pilots get in real close and use ye missiles first before ye guns."

Ni-Fang and Pretas had the same question, they both asked."Why?"

"Because tho' the missle's by emself wont cause too much damage, they explode with what I call an emp force...don't ask. Once ye are done with those, their shields will come doon and ye can use ye guns. But ye will stay cloaked until the last minute so they won't hae time to lauch their own fighters."

"It's sounds sloppy to me." Pretas said.

"Aye lad tis nae gonna be easy, but once their shields are doon, we'll launch the Dawn and target their launch bays with our larger missiles.....understood?"

There was some reticent shuffling of feet until Ni-Fang stood in front and bellowed "Yes sir!"

In turn, the whole assembly bouyed by her simple words replied loudly. "Yes sir!"

In less than fifteen minutes the hall was empty and the Spirit's engines had powered up, she began to lift up into a cloudy wet drizzly morning, Fan clung to Linelle's arm in the bridge deck and hoped the gloom was not an omen.

Ni-Fang stood at the bridge, Fan stood next to her, Hieronyma was also there. The three women chattered in Lokikaen between themselves. Ni-Fang seemed hurt about something, but no matter what the other two tried or asked she refused to tell them, at least clearly, what she was hurt about. Ni-Fang shortly noticed that of those on the bridge, only she, Fan, Hieronyma, and Hiden and Pretas were left, Pretas oddly seemed calmer then normal around Hieronyma, the fact that the Techprest was spending, strangely, hours either with Hieronyma, or with the black box. Confused Ni-Fang.

Finally she spoke after Linelle had left to get some sleep. "Why hold back any longer, Hieden?" Hieden turned her way, with fire in her eyes Ni-fang glowered at him. "You know as well as I what I told Linelle, I will not have parentless children as part of my crew. Kran took your place, though temporary, yet it seems he took it again while we are in battle. Yet Linelle, she is still a target of many. Fan told me of Jinjin, and his attack against her. And you healing her wound." Hieden could only nod. She walked over to him, "Now you try to tell me how I am to run my ship and fighters when my mothers homeworld is taken by the Desecrator?" Confusion was in her eyes now.

"Her ships are not like the Spirit, the warning your mother got lass, they spoke of golden ships, that could only mean one thing" He motioned pretas to bring the black DELL box over and set it up. Plugging in the USB stick, a full terabytwe of infomation. started popping up onto the screen in dozens of windows. Finding the one he needed Hieden clicked on the frame to bring it to the top. it showed a Ha'tak, basically what a Ha'tak looked like, without any modifications to it or the like. "This is the golden ships. That have void shields. strength of seven shields to a ship."

"Yet the weapons your men created, can bypass these shields?" Ni-Fang said pressing two keys on the console of the Spirit. A holovox of Lokia updated in real time, appeared. "The smaller craft are fighters. We can go in cloaked with the Spirit, or take our fighters passed those ones. There are twenty six ships, up by ten in the last hour alone." Then she noticed something. "What is that?" she zoomed in on a silvery looking craft, similar in appearance to the Dawn.

Evertyone stared at it, Hieronyma spoke first. Pretas was too focused on the information on the DELL box to notice anything else. "Is that the Dawn?"

"Looks it" Hieden replied.

"But it is not gothic in appearance." Hieronyma said. Fan chattered something in Lokiaen. Hieronyma traded looks with Ni-Fang before translating. "Is it possible that Xi Lan, had used the plan to create the craft to fool us in some way?"

"Doubtful, for now we continue on our course, have the fighters ready." Ni-Fang said, she turned to Hieden, "Hieden. I want you to command the Spirit in my stead, under no circomstances are you to be seen by anyone of the Enemy. Understand?" She turnedbefore he could answer and elft the bridge at a fast walk. They would be at the edge of the Lokiaen System inside of four hours.


	10. Chapter 10

Rogue Trader; season one  
Episode Ten; Project Windfire  
(part I)

Sometimes the truth hurt too much. In this case. Ni-Fang fiound herself in the hangar, Cirir close behind. She knew he was there, so she said aloud. "Cirir, what am I to you?"

The question caught the four legged mutant off guard. He said softly in his manner of speaking, just above a whisper and as if unable to drink anything. "You are my captain." He replied.

Ni-Fang stopped andlooked at her ship, Windfire she had named it, shortly after Hiedens 'death' she had taken to flying the craft at Geras instruction, taking the knowledge needed from the headgrabber as she learned to fly the thing. She had made so many modifications to it that only she could fly the craft on her own. "Aside from that, what am I? A killer? Cold hearted," She turned towards him, "Hieden kept the secret from me, telling only when it suited him best, but now, he tells me freely, though I had to threaten him."

Cirir said nothing. ni-Fang continued, "He is like an uncle to me. Yet he treats me as if he is in charge and I am not, when it was he that I hired at Port Wander, and through him I found you. But you and I spoke between ourselves before I took on Hieden."

Cirir nodded, "Yes, you took it on without speaking to Hieden, he is your first mate, and nothing more thne that. " Cirir looked towards ther hangar door leading to the causeway to the bridge. " One would assume he is planning something, knowing what information is needed and where. That black box TechPriest Pretas carries with him at all times. It is unlike any other Vox system I have seen."

"Nor was that Holographic thing inside the mountain." Ni-Fang muttered briefly remembering the fall into the mud, her hair in a few places still had black oil in it from that fall, but it wasn't as bad as before. "Hiededn knows something is happeni9ng, but what exactly is to be seen. For now I wabnt you to do me a favor, you have access to all camera systems, under my command which overlords Hiedens to you, Unless I tell him to send a message to you, he can't over rule." She was planning something

"What is it you wish me to do?" Cirir asked.

"Keep an eye on Hieden at all times. Assign either Drake or Varsalis to keep watch at the camera station in the engineering deck control room when you can't be there, the nonmoving mutant, Kasica, he is good ot draw on to watch the cameras every waking hour." She gave Cirir a look, a look he knew well. it pretty much translated into "if you refuse, you're fired."

"Consider it done Captain." Cirir said as the annument from the bridge rang through the hangar, "Lokika system in one hour." clearly they where making better time then previously planned. Apparently the modifications done to the Spirits drive systems were helping imensly. Now to hope the clak worked just as good as the engine speed up

Other fighter pilots were arriving, Ni-Fang turned to Cirir, "get to your station Cirir, you know what to do." Cuirir nodded and scuttled off as Ni-Fang climbed into her fighter craft and began going through the list of modifications she had yet to do, the wiring inside was a mess, and she had removed the sheilds, perfering speed over defense but added a cloak. eithout the cloak in use, Windfire could get up to 135 sublight units per hour (about 1350 miles MPH) though out in space things like speed only mattered when going into the Warp.

Things like time also factored in, speed in space pretty much had no effects from time or the like, unless too close to a planet. As far as Ni-Fang was concerned, Windfire would scream past the enemy craft, leaving behind a "gift" in its wake, which was a time bomb, a odd, dronelike weapon and several sesimic charges all at once. one heck of a sonic boom. Ni-Fang cleared away some of the loos wirers, none of them wqere attached to anything, and she even told the ground crew to leave her craft alone when repairs were needed as she'd handle them herself. One thing she did not want to happen when the crew was repairing was having them screw up on something she had modified. Soon she would be at her mothers homeworld, a world she rarely, if ever, visited.

Within the Spirits brideg a woman in dark emerald entered, it was Xue Shen. She had gone along at Fans request, mostly because if she had to, she could KO Linelle or Hieden, though she told Fan she would try to not go to such extremes unless it was the only thing she could do. "Snapping Tigers Palm" She said to Fan, "Is only used to send a person into sleep, thus rendering them helpless for several hours." Obviously Xue Shen had been praticing something for long periods of time in her chambers at Holy Terra. the woman spotted Hieden standing at the controls, near the helm. When she spoke in english is was similar ot music one would say should they live long enough to speak of it.

"She left you in her stead." She meant Ni-Fang, Hieden only nodded, Xue Shen was a woman few could cross and get away with. So he said nothing. Xue Shen stepped closer and stood at the rail looking out of the bridge towards the darkness ahead, "She left me to keep you, should you try anything of getting off this craft, and leaving your children without a father." That made things slightly weorse for Hiedens plan, which was to find as much technology on or around the planet as he could before Xi Lan could.

But before he could say anything a sharp stinging was felt in his right cheek, apparently Xue Shen could injure when she felt like it, and get around his newly aquired healing ablities pretty easy. He stared at the brown eyed, black haired green clothed woman in shock. But then again she was his employers mother, and his first employers wife. he didn;t have to ask what happened to cause such a strike before Xue Shen spoke, a tear coming to her eyes. "When Johen told Ni-Fang the news fifteen years ago of your passing, she locked herself in her bedroom for ten and seven days. Taking only food and drink whwen it was time, but speaking to no one."

"When Ni-Fang turned seven she began to learn of ships, and trading from Johen, being our only child she wanted to command a ship, but Johen had no craft that could be made, the Dawn had been destoryed, or so it was said." She looked hard at Hieden, "When reports came from Ni-Fang a year ago that the Dawn was still in one piece and her first mate, a man named Hieden. Yourself, was to command it. New light came to Johens eyes. A light that I had not seen since the Dawn first went missing fifteen years ago." Xue Shen looked out the viewport. "Why did you do that to us?.... To her?" She ssaid nothing of who she meant, which could have been either Ni-Fang or Linelle.

"Xue, you have known me for a very long time, tell me, have I ever done anything to harm you or your family?" He said a slight anger in his voice. Linelle watched, she trusted Hieden, she had only spoken the Xue a few times but respected her, but she would not tolerate an abuse of her husbands trust.

"No, but to disappear like that, yes I know you were prisoner. But you had three years of freedom, you could have found us and we could have sheltered you from the Laraxans."

"True, granted and for that I'm sorry. I know it hurt Johen and Ni, but I had my reasons Xue, and that lies out there, attacking your homeworld now. Trust me, and tell Ni to do the same, my love for your family is as strong as the day it was when I pledged my service to your husband. You gave me a family I never had, and I cherish that, so understand me when I say, I have things I must keep to myself...for everyones safety."

"Ni will never understand Hammer, she loves you even more than her father, you know that. Talk to her, you are the only one who could ever get past her daemon...apart from your wife here as I understand."

Linelle crossed the few paces, her hearing was five times better than a humans, she placed her hand on Xue's shoulder gently. "Xue, Hieden does what he does, because his fate is determined by powers even I can't fathom. Rest assured though, if he tries anything stupid, he will regret it." She smiled with those green eyes and wicked smile. Xue knew well at that moment she had an ally.

"Thankyou Lin. Now master Hieden, I believe you have a fighter squadron to command, Ni is leading in her craft and you will be flying 'top cover' I believe was the phrase she used, in your mysterious craft with twelve of the others."

"Yes that is the plan, I hope that Pretas will be comfortable in my back seat, he was not well pleased when I told him about the possible consequences of touching things he shouldn't, I might have to tape his fingers."  
The three of them enjoyed a brief laugh, before Hieden bid his wife and Xue farewell.

"Good luck." They both told him as he headed for the hangars. On the way he found Fan, she was crying and walking as if she were lost. She saw him and rushed to his arms.

"You are going away again, I just heard."

"No Princess I'm only going to protect your sister. It seems she wants to keep me out of the thick of things."

"Can you blame her Daie, you have left us twice now, ....too many broken hearts." She said simply. Kissed him on the cheek and headed for the bridge.

Heiden came into the main hangar amidst a hive of activity. His F307 parked amongst the smaller 304's stood out, Pretas and Ni-Fang stood by the grey craft's undercarraige, for once the Techpreist was not carrying the laptop, but he looked uneasy. Ni-Fang waved Hieden over her face full of more questions, he could see. Questions she had a right to know the answers, but now was not the time. He one thing to do before this battle took place.

Standing less than a metre from her he asked Pretas to get into his place in the cockpit of the 307 and run a system check, of course it was a ruse. The techpriest acknowledged Hieden with a "Yes Sir" and climbed the ladder into the second seat. When he was gone, Hieden gently took Ni-Fang by the head, one hand either side.

Ni-Fang felt a rush of cold, like being dropped in ice water, then a caressing warmth. Colours swirled through her mind and images rushed like phantoms. All that she had learned from the head grabber seemed to disappear, all but a few random things, but now with all that clutter gone, she understood, she was not ready for all that she had found, and finally it made sense...but he left her some things....why? She fell against his chest and sighed, it was a wieght she was never meant to carry.

"Thankyou." She whispered. "But there is still some in there...can't you take it all?" A tear fell down her cheek.

"No I'm sorry Ni. I left some things for you, to help you much later on. You will meet someone, a another species I think be th' best way te' say it, he will need this information to save his life, it will be up to you." He held her tightly.

"Uh? How do you know this?" She looked at his steel blue eyes.

"Don't ask, just trust me."

Now she knew why she did the modifications to her own craft, no shields, but a cloaking device was added ot it. though once detected she doubted she'd need it, and could thusdrain the power from the thing to give greater speed in combat. The announcement came over the PA system, Lokika system in three minutes. Everyone in the hangars began dashing around to get their work done, never expecting to be at Lokika for another two days!

Ni-Fang turned towards Hieden, the information he removed from her mind was only so much, she knew that for sure, the stuff she had access to as is the modifications to the ships power systems, and to her crafts main draives and the like. It didn't take lok for her to only nod, Hieden would remain as far back as possible, keeping cover so to speak, for the rest of the group. She spoke, "I can see your worry." She said to him

"What?" he asked her, startled, how could see tell? Then he remembered Xue Shens words, _"She loves you more then she loves her father or myself. Her heart was shattered at the report of your death."_

"You worry for others, or for me?" She seemed to get too close ot the mark there, hieden was worried alright, worried for her due to no shields, much less an air supply, then he remembered, she was a child of the Warp. She could breathe in peace without air for all anyone knew, same for Fan. Ni-Fang stepped closer to Hieden, her face centimeters from his own. "You are going against my orders to remain on the Spirit, yet Linelle is following them, you are going to provide cover long enough for us to get the job done, unless we need your flight groups help. I don't want you seen by Xi Lan or any of her craft"

The announcement of leaving the Warp in one minute Ni-Fang looked to Hiden one last time before going to her craft and getting back into it. "I will not have fatherless children as part of my crew, Kran can only do so much." Hieden watched her get into her craft, Windfire had odd markings on it, clearly damage marks of some kind, either that or unwanted addons. Apparently he realized too late that he removed the information, most of it was genetic information he removed, the technical things, for her ships and the like he left alone.

Hieden watched the seal set into place on the craft, an odd creation of fighter craft. wedge shaped, small, one man fighter. with twin lasrain canons that were magnetically powered. in this case, an endless stream of firepower on the wind one had once said after witnessing the craft at work. "It is as if rain of red water was falling from tjhe clouds, the rushing of the wind was also felt when the rain fell. We called it windfire, sa it felt like the wind was bringing fire with it." a Laraxan soldier said after the battle on the ground the first time Ni-Fang had used the craft, back near Oraxisis Prime.

The spirit fled from the darkness of the Warp and appeared in normal space, unseen by the Ha'tyaks of Xi Lans soldiers, a heartbeat later, Hieden spotted Ni-fang placing a odd type of helmet on her head, it wasn't bulky like the rest of the pilots helms were; it was more like a simple headband with a radio in the left side. the squad of six fighters left the now open hangar several seconds later, one after the other. taking up a formation never seen before, even in Hiedens days as MacGregor long ago. the fighters faded from sight as the cloaks kicked in.

The voices of the pilots were heard on the tactical map station within the Spirit. "All wings report" Ni-Fang chattered in Lokikaen, apparently the pilots were all from Lokika to begin with. voices chattered. shortly they seven pilots were all reported and paired off, none of them paired with Ni-Fang, she already had her needed pair off. the small wedge shaped fighter containing Ni-Fang blasted forwards towards the largest Ha'tak, the golden ship looked odd. how could it be flown?

A single command was heard. "Decloak and let loose first ram." meaning the EMP wave of missles. which blasted forwards as the seven craft appeared out of nowhere, letting loose fourteen trails of fire on the lone golden ship. the shields were impacted, and died moments later as all fourteen trails of fire caused the EMP to overload the system. Ni-Fang noticed something then, it was a shipyard! The golden ship they had fired on was still incompleted! had Xi-Lan taken the planet already? where they too late?

Thinknig dfast as a pair of gullwing fighters appeared on her tail Ni-Fang smirked. "seven and five, on me." she said calmly. turning her craft towards the still unfisihed golden ship, blasting into its infrastructure of steel and other items. weaving, the gullwing craft follwoing her collidied into several things, leaving holes in the newly made work. Ni-Fang only smirked as she blasted out the other side, after leaving a 'gift' within the core of the golden craft. "All wings break off attack, rally point Aer" She said into her radio as she hit the keycodex to set off the bomb.

The golden ship exploded into a mushroom cloud of metal and fire. So far so good.

Then she noticed other ships, and more fighters. Maybe they needed back up, or head for the planet, keep the spirit far enough away and maybe they could do this. Maybe

Pretas was watching intently as Hieden took calls from his own group, the five other pilots eager to join in battle he admonished them to hold, he would not break his word the Ni-Fang or Xue, he held Blue squadron in top cover, but Pretas's voice was urgent. "Sir we have incoming, maybe twenty of their fighters coming up from the planet at speed, they are heading straight for the Captain's wing."

Hieden had to make his descision now, there was no time to choose. "Blue wing on me, line astern two stack." The five other fighters from blue wing formed up behind and below their leader and banked to meet the oncoming threat, angling down so the sun's radiance was behind them, blind targets for the enemy.

"Missile locks free, choose your splash.......go, go!" He barked as Pretas set the warheads on the 307, six misslles, two for each target.

The six grey/black birds of prey fell upon their foe, but Xi Lan had trained these pilots well, and in the first strike, only four fell to the Firestreak rockets, the auto sensors on the gull winged gliders steeing them form harms way. Now the melee was on, six to fourteen, bad odds Hieden reprimanded himself. "Break, break, go low, head for the surface and lets pray the follow. Which indeed they did. The greater dive speed of the Spirits fighters put them well ahead of Xi's craft, which now opened fire with plasma cannon, one of Hieden's wing went down in a ball of wicked flame, the last he heard was the scream of "Nooooo...."

"Sir this is not good." Came from his number two.

"I know....." MacGregor now took over, he was in his own element now. "On my mark split 'S' and double back.....'mark!" The five pulled up and over the pursuers, their own speed now too great as they closed the gap on their quarry only to realise too late the planets surface was so close. Nine of fourteen crashed in a firey display on the sides of Mount Shinghan, a billowing plume marking their demise. Five left, they pulled up and pushed harder, now one on one as they again gained the outer atmosphere.

Ni-Fang now turned her group onto the second and third Hat'aks, missiles launched and again the emp explosion dropped the shileds, but this time it was not so easy, these were complete ships as defence canon opened up and gliders came pouring out. Two of her wing went down in a murderous hail of fire.

"This is not going to plan." She thought idily as a glider came right on her tail, canon fire taking chunks from her starboard wing, but Windfire held strongly, and she did as Hieden taught her, a curved reverse turn which put her in behind her pursuer, two bursts from her guns and he went down, but the odds were stacked against them now, they needed a miracle.

As the second group fought their own battle now four to three in the enemies favour Hieden/Will need to pull a rabbit out of his hat. He didn't realise he said that aloud, and Pretas asked him amidst the terror. "A what sir?"

"Never mind son, just arm the mines, all of them."

"Sir, eight mines sir, that's enough to..."

"I know.....Blue four and two, break now and head for Ni-Fang, go now!"

The other two followed orders and banked away from the melee and sped to join with Red squadron high above them. Now Hieden had four alone as he jinked and turned with every manouver in the book. The blackness of space lighting up with a merry dance of technobirds. With so many changes of attitude, even with inertia dampeners, Pretas felt a little sick, but he held and did his job, at Hieden's command the mines were released in the middle of the enemy four, Hieden punched the hyperdrive with a small burst to put them just behind the Spirit a thousand kilometres away. The effect was resounding, all eight mines vapourising Xi's gliders and sending a shock wave through the void.

Ni-Fangs little 302 rocked from some unseen blast, she looked below and saw the orange glow expand and knew at once the meaning. "Break, break go high now!" She called urgently to the remainder of her wing. they climbed at speed, the shock wave following them, but as it passed through the Hat'aks, hull began to crumple until only Xi Lan's mothership remained. Ni-Fang looked back and felt satisfied, and led her group back to the Spirit to plan her next move. But she would have words with Hieden, that was too close.

Four craft lost, that was all she could count, though she was thankful as it was, for Hieden to be there as backup, it had gotten extreme she knew, extreme enough for him ot enter the fray. The fact her own craft had knocked forwards, slamming her forehead into the cockpit latch (which thankfully did not open) A trail of blood from the cut appeared yet she took no notice as she headed her craft to land within the Spirit. The wingless heavliy modifed craft settled cleanly on the hangar's steel and rock floor.

All of Xi Lans fighter craft where gone, all of their enemy laid out in the void from the ensuing firewave that Hieden set off. Only ship left was Xi Lans own craft, and for all anyone knew the woman was on the planet already. But at the cost of four craft and two pilots, Ni-Fang noticed a gunboat arriving with the two fighter pilots, both of them shaken, but safe and alive. there were more ships being made on Mars and Holy Terra for MerTelCom they were later told. They'd be part of her wing once more. now was time for R&R until further notice, but to stay ready for anything to happen next.

She turned to Hieden as she stepped out of her craft. two new scorce marks on the underbelly she noticed instnatly, at least she was still alive. Removing her "helmet" and setting it within the fighter she spoke towards Hieden as he walked torwards her. "How many made it back?"

"Twelve, two were killed of all of us that were out there, we lost for fighters too." Hieden said as if thinknig they had short supply when the pioint in fact was that Mer TelCom had started building them by the dozen to guard against more attacks with the recent uprising of Orks in the Calis Sector, the fact her own craft had the wings removed to pretty much nothing but stubs where a pair of lasguns had been mounted, heavy duty lasguns in fact. a total of four of them two per "wing", Now all she had ot do was get her father ot have her new craft ready. Project Startail she had named it.

"Don't worry, more will be ready for use, or did mother not tell you? After your death Father begain an assembly line for more craft of this typwe to be built, along with a new craft more me. rthe rest of the designs are directly from this one, smaller, and easier to handle. Father said my craft would keep costs down as much as possible and also bring in more money as well." Ni-Fang thought a second before muttering "I hope he is right"

That caught Hieden off balance for the first time since leaving Terra, "What? Making more 302s?" When had Johen started not telling him those things? It didn't matter the point being that a very secret starfighter was being built from Nio-Fangs own mind alone. Based somewhat off the 302 she currently used, but also something more, with a pair of supersonic capible stardrives called 'Herizon Jet' engines, that even without her modifications was capible of producing a supernova heat wave worth of exaust.

"Yes, and something more as well, but Father said the ships would not be ready until after we had returned. You still have to meet with Father as well Hieden, yet he knows you only as my first mate, Hieden Hieldenhammer. Remember you place when you speak to my Father when this is over." She told him before heading to the bridge, she stopped. "oh, have the fighter pilots asemble in the dining hall for orders, and food. I will meet them there" She disappeared into the corridor.

Meanwhile the Spirit of Silence remained unseen in the darkness at the edge of the Lokika system.

Xi Lan watched everything, her fleet was nearly whiped out, but thankfully most of the ships where on the planet by the time whatever that attacked, and so suddenly disappeared, had arrived. Almost all the gullwing craft were gone, but it didn't matter, all that mattered was getting what she required from the planet below, and that was its leadership caste.

Her eyes glowed gold for a heartbeat or two, "Have the troops on the ground redirect their movements to take all the leadership members and also the scholar caste. Have them brought here for questioning." She ordered before turning her gaze to the darkness of space, whomever those craft were piloted by had skill, skill enough to be one she knew.

Her first in command, second only to herself stepped into the chamber, "Madam, we hgave captured the MerTelCom office complex, yet many of the staff members were gone before we got to that area."

"That does not matter now, take the building and search its databanks. All data is to be transfered to vox datachips. Then transported back here. Then ready the troops on the ground for an extended stay on the planet below, we have work to do, this attack was by another group, a group known to me from battles past." She then growled a name, "Xaiu" The soldier nodded and elft in haste to do as ordered, not wanting to be on his lady's bad side.

Hieden sat in his private chamber studying the schematics on Ni-Fangs Windfire, it was a simple matter, she had virtually butchered up a perfectly good F302 for womanly aesthetics. He looked across to the sleeping form of Linelle, she wanted to be here, but she worried for the children as well, hoping to the Eldar gods they were safe.

A soft wind blew across Hieden's neck, he did not have to turn about to see what it was.

"Hello Daniel, I was expecting you to show sooner or later." He then turned in his seat after saving the data on Pretas laptop he had finally managed to get off him for a while.

"You look tired, even you have to sleep sometime Will, that is still flesh and bone youre wearing, even with the upgrades," His friend smiled, he was wearing the same outfit he last saw him in, simple pale blue shirt, black trousers and casual shoes, nothing ancienty at all.

"Yeah I am a bit, Ni-Fang worries me. She is wreckless and foolhardy. She wont listen to advice, I feel like an idiot around her at times. Do you know what she did to her fighter?" He stood and walked toward the bulkhead, passing right through the visage of Daniel. "She cut...."

"I know Will, give her time. Remember in her eyes now, you are hardly much older appearing than her, and she still is not completely over you disappearing when you did." Daniel went and sat in the now vacant chair, he became a solid form as he did.

"Yeah I know, but its not like I could help it though, is it. Anyway, you didnt come here for nothing, did you?" Hieden peered through the window into the blackness of space, in his quadrant few stars could be seen, he shook his head and turned, waiting for a reply.

"No I didnt, shes onto you, she knows who, or rather what attacked her."

"Your talking in riddles as usual Daniel, she...who?"

"Xi Lan, she knows someone, an Ancient, or rather an Ancient Venator is after her, and she is prepared of that Im sure." He turned and looked at the laptop screen. "Interesting."

Hieden sat on the corner of his table. "How in the hell does she know th....dont tell me, I know the answer, shes an Ori, blah, blah."

"Dont take it so lightly Will, she has gained a lot of power in all these years. She is not like any you have faced before." Daniel tapped the keys, he found something, perhaps Hieden and Ni-Fang could use. "I realise MerTelComs resources are stretched thin, but you should have Johen build these." He turned the screen around and Hieden stared for a brief minute.

"The 340's? Why"

"They are your best hope of defeating her armada when it comes, shes raiding the MerTelComs offices as we speak, but she does not know about these. Pure gunships, small fast and cheap to build, courtesy of Sam Carter."

Hieden looked even closer, he smiled. "You're right you...." Daniel was gone. God I hate it when he does that, at least Elizabath says goodbye. He climbed into the bed and nestled closely to his wife, in the morning Ni-Fang will listen to him, or hell go it alone.

Pretas was busy in his quarters when a knock sounded.

"Come!"

Hieronyma walked in rather shyly. He looked up.

"Hi there. Oh yes, I meant to give you something I jerry rigged. I know its a healing device, but as to how it works, no clue. It can even revive the dead, although how I know this is unknown as well."

He handed the cube over and turned it on. It started glowing whitish blue as Ancient characters shone clearly. Hieronyma was at a loss for words as she looked at it. He understood.

"It is yours, and I think you will require it."

He started to reassemble the weapons he was working on. Such weapons would be needed, for he was building drone launchers and drones themselves. He had the chair already assembled, but the drones and the launcher were needed now. He was feverishly making as many as he could before the fleet reattacked. If they did, he could fire over 100 drones at them and the entire fleet would be severely depleted.

Cirir was waiting for her as she entered her cambers, "Captain, a private vox channel has been connected and is awaiting your reply, it is your father." Cirir said before leaving, he knew nothing of what her father was calling about.

Ni-Fang waited until the door was sealed before keying her vox to the private channel. "Father?"

"Daughter, it concerns Project Startail" came the reply, "It is completed and awaiting your command to take it as part of your fighter wing."

That was good news. Yet there was a problem. "I am at Lokika, we lost two soldiers, good men, but we lost four craft in total. Two we found. Hieden did something, but what I do not know."

"He's a good man, but why he is getting reckless I do not wish to know or comprehend." Johen replied. "Even though you are at Lokika at this time I am sending the Dawn to you in noncombat readiness. in its forward hangar bay is Project Startail, ready for battle and fuly outfitted as per your data banks input system that you had set it up for. Should be there shortly, as the Dwan left this morning, shortly after you did."

"With the modifications I had done to her it shouldn't take too long to get it here and battle ready. " Ni-Fang replied before saying tersely. "Xi Lan, from what I understand has taken the MerTelCom complex on the planet below. and Hieden is having the Spirits sesnors scanning all the moons around the planet," Things were getting out of her control. "I found another box, a DELL thing, yet am unable to see what it contains, I cannot see a vox screen for it. I have given it to Pretas, he is to contact me when he has found anything worth note." She did not mention that it was also him that had created the drone weapons (as he called them) a mind controlled explosive, that could also be made into a timebomb of sorts with insane power at setting off.

A notice came over the public channel to her chamber, "the ship is leaving orbit, captain should we follow?" They had been gone only a single day from Terra, but time passed faster at Lokika. Had Fan stayed at Lokika rarther then venture into the underground cityplx as she called it she might have grown older and become more of a benifical person, but instead she was taken to Mars Station.

Ni-Fang spoek to her father, "When the Dawn arrives I'll contact you, but for now we have troubles on our side of things. I must go."

"Good luck daughter, may the god emperor bless you!" The vox channel died then and Ni-Fang left her chambers, just as the spirit was rocked by gunfire. apparently other ships had been following them unseen, gullwing craft, the nine gliders opened fire, the cloak replaced the shield, to a point, hitting a key code she reactivated the sheidl system and two gliders died instantly. "Cirir, full power to front void shields, keep just enough cvovering everything else. the Dawn is on its way." She grabbed Cirir by the arm as a panel exploded in front of him. "And wake up Hieden, he should be steering us right now but instead he is fighting with me out there? who does he think he is?"

Cirir said nothing, but understood his captains need for her crew to obey her orders at all times. Ni-Fang continued; "You are the only one who has followed my orders to the letter, everyone else is failing to do so. Continue to follow as you hqave been and you'll move up in rank, yet if you weish you may stay in the engineering. You make good for a sure footed man, get to it, waken Hieden and have him come to the bridge, i'll be there, the Dawn should be here shortly. when it arrives direct it to the hangar onboard the Spirit."

The Spirit thankfully had a hangar large enough to hold the Dawn within it rather well. the case in point was that the Spirit could carry another ship in reserve and not worry of space for fighters, as the Dawn could carry up to two full wings of fighter craft. Plus two fo those odd craft that Hieden and Pretas liked to use at times.

Leaving his chambers Hieden headed for the bridge, only to find Ni-Fang had left and was in her own chambers, Fan was becoming more familiar with the workings of the Spirit and was doing well in her role as undertudy to both the Captain and himself, she will make a fine officer in short time he thought. Xue sat not far away in Linelles navigators chair, reading some files he had given her on the Dawns specifications and wore a smile as she read, she looked up at him and nodded in approval. He headed down the companionway for Nis room and felt for the usb stick still in his pocket, the Dell he carried under his arm.

Walking swiftly through the accomodation level he was not surprised to see Hieronyma leave Pretas' room, Hieden chuckled to himself, but was glad, those two had opened up and both of them were more confident now, and more a part of the crew. He stopped by the slightly open door and called his XO "Pretas, you decent lad?"

"Er ah just a minute sir...." A ruffle a quick dressing and the young man appered. "Hehe I am now sir, do you need me?"

"Yes I want you to look at these drawings and pictures." He opened the laptop and plugged in the usb, the machine hummed to life, and Hieden began showing the files, and photos of what Pretas saw as a small but heavily armed ship.

"Shit sir...theyre gorgeous, theyre from your...er former time arent they?"

"Yes they are, Heroine class we called them Cruisers CG340's. Now do you think we can build them? Theyre modular, so theyd be quick and cheap."

"Yes we could sir, but ultimately it would be up to the captains father sir."

"Yes I know. Well we shall both speak to Ni-Fang and get her on side, Xue as well. If he has run out of resources, I have a plan B."

Pretas grinned. "Well you and I always seem to have plan B dont we sir."

The news rthat hit Ni-Fang felt like a locomotive ran her over, Fan had left to her chambers to sleep, amazingly the daemon possessed women kept themselves pretty well kept, but their rooms at times, those were another story. Ni-Fang was at the bridge, watching the last golden ship leave the planets orbit and disappear as sten more craft just like it appeared and headed for landing. followed by more. She spoke into the radio as Hieden arrived at the Bridge, watching as the barricade of the planet was over, but what were those ships doing? "You're sure? You never saw her?"

"No Madam" Came the reply, "We only saw her soldiers, bearing the mark of the Black Condor of the North." The Black Condor was the symbol of Xi Lans household. Every major house had it, Ni-Fangs was the White Condor, Fans, had she a household still would have been the Green Fern design.

"And the dead?"

"Seven of our own people, all of them children, shot through the stomach in all of them." That made her madder then normal.

"And the database systems?"

"Destoryed, however the datawithin them was taken before we could get back in, the computer ranks holding the vox databanks were broken when we entered." Came the reply.

This was worse then going after the stupid key. Yet she had it hanging around her kneck, You never know when you'd need it again one thought. If Ni-Fang could set fire to something she would have but didn't. A smile graced her face as she spoke again. "Where did the ship go?"

"Lars; a tomb world, its dead, there are evils there that do not sleep." Came the reply, ther sound of the mans voice on the other end was scared. But it seemed as if Ni-Fang wanted to go after Xi Lan right then and there. "I urge you not to go that way my lady, going there only increases the danger to yourself and MerTelCom. Should you be taken prisoner by her, or them. There is no telling what would happen to the galaxy as a whole." Apparently ther man was scared, but not for his life now.

It was rthe look on her face that made Hieden also shake his head, it was too risky to take the Spirit to Lars, the tomb world was with the dead, the dead coulx also rise again as well. That was one of the reasons of why things were going bad, or worse. If the Laraxans were using the Necrons as part of their army.....

.... Well, that wouldn't bode well, for the Necrons

Hieronyma was organizing some of the medical supplies in the infirmary, cataloging everything.. She hummed softly to herself, a lot happier than she had been a month or so ago. She looked up as Pretas walked in. She blushed and smiled shyly at him.

Pretas smiled at her slightly, even though he was nervous. "Hello..."

Hieronyma smiled shyly. "Hi," she said timidly.

Pretas looked around, rather hesitent to speak as he looked around the infirmery a bit. He paced slightly. Hieronyma watched him, seeing the nervousness in his step.

After a moment, she spoke. "Something wrong?"

"No nothing...." He stopped and turned slightly. "I was wondering......if you would.....have dinner tonight with me...."

Hieronyma's cheeks flushed a deep red. She stared at her feet, smiling shyly. "I-I..." She looked up at him, and smiled. "That would be nice."

Pretas let out a sigh. "Well that is good....I will get it prepared tonight...." He smiled slightly, happier than he has been the past year.

Hieronyma smiled, and walked over and kissed him on the cheek. "See you later."

Pretas smiled slightly. "Thank you..."

Hieronyma flashed him a smile, and turned and started to organize her supplies again.

_Several hours later..._

Pretas was scurrying around in his quarters, preparing the meal for both of them. He was cooking some steak and potatoes, the fresh kind, which are hard to come by on a ship. He was in a hurry, since he hadn't set the table yet and the meal had to be done first.

About ten minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door.

Pretas had the meal done, and he was dressed in his finest clothing, but he hadn't set the table yet.

"Come in!"

Hieronyma walked in, dressed in a Lokikaen style clothing with a sash, and her black hair up in a tight bun. She blushed when she saw him. "Hey."

Pretas was rather stunned by her beauty.

"Hello....ummm....come in come in."

He looked at the table and scooped up the schematics he was pouring over earlier.

Hieronyma glanced at the schematics. They seemed slightly familiar... "You did this?"

Pretas blushed slightly.

"Yes....I build things. I don't even know why I build it or how, just that I seem to know what to do instantly. It is strange, i've had it all my life."

"Happens to me sometimes, too," Hieronyma blushed. "I built a hand held scanner that reads life signs and other things...no idea how I did it."

Pretas was rather stunned.

"I thought it was unique....well I guess it still is."

Hieronyma shrugged. "I have never met anyone else who has done this...you're the first. So I guess it still is."

Pretas put down the schematics in the corner and started to set the table.

"Well, lets sit in. I'll bring the food over momentarily."

Hieronyma smiled and sat down at the table, throwing sash over her shoulders. She smiled shyly at him, blushing.

Pretas brought over the plates and silverware and placed them on the table. He walked back over to get the food and a set of candles.

Hieronyma smiled at him, seeing all the details he had put into this dinner. She smiled sweetly at him. "This is nice." She blushed.

Pretas smiled at her.

"Thank you....I tried to make it as nice as possible...."

"You did a good job." Hieronyma smiled, and started to eat some of the food. She smiled. "This is good. And it's nice to have fresh food for once."

Pretas smiled as he sat down and put the napkin in his lap. He began to eat as well.

Hieronyma ate slowly, knowing this would be the last fresh food she had for a while. She watched him out of the corner of her eyes, smiling slightly. She finished more quickly than she meant to, she was starving.

Pretas ate his food as well, he was rather pleased she enjoyed it. It had been forever since he had been with a woman. 5 years as a matter of fact. Being on the run doesn't invite female company, and Imperial Guardsmen definitely does not.

Hieronyma delicately set her napkin and silverware down. "That was very good, thank you."

Pretas nodded as he wiped his mouth slightly with the napkin.

"I am glad you enjoyed it."

Hieronyma smiled. "I'm still a little surprised...as a psyker and a null psyker we are more opposite than anyone else can be."

Pretas nodded.

"I have developed a device as well that allows us to be in close proximity. I put it in my necklace. I can still sense you, but it won't harm me to be near you."

Relief spread over her face as he said this. "That's great!" She blushed. "I...I was worried about hurting you," she said sheepishly.

Pretas looked at her with a smile.

"I am glad you feel that way...."

Hieronyma bushed again, her cheeks flushing red. She stared at her hands shyly.

Pretas got up slowly and walked over to her end of the table and placed hands on her shoulders.

"It is ok dear......"

Hieronyma looked up at him and smiled, her gray eyes bright for once. It has been years, ten years, since those eyes had really had life in them.

Pretas smiled back, he started to clear the table and put the dishes in the small sink. He would wash them later.

Hieronyma watched him, smiling. "Thank you," she said, and smiled. It seemed that her eyes almost turned blue for a moment.

He had put the dishes in the sink and cleared the table.

"Perhaps we should....go for a walk.....the observation deck....I go there sometimes."

Hieronyma smiled. "I would like that."

Pretas held out a hand and they walked together through the halls of the ship, finally looking out of a large window used to observe battles with the naked eye.

There was no battle going on now, simply the beauty and majesty of space. Hieronyma looked out into the darkness, her lips blossoming into a smile. "No matter how many times I see it," she whispered. "It still amazes me."

Pretas looked out.

"It holds beauty and terror greater than even we could imagine. I have been in space much of the past 6 years, deploying either as part of the Guards, or on the run. The last 18 months have seen me considering low rent hotels luxurious. I spent alot of my time sleeping in cargo holds and baggage areas."

"I'm sorry," Hieronyma said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Pretas shuddered.

"Being on the run is not fun. I still get dreams where the Sisters have caught me."

Hieronyma placed both hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "Well that is over know." She hugged him gently. "They will not both you again."

Pretas hugged her tightly.

"I hope so. It has driven me to exhaustion staying alive."

Hieronyma smiled, and hesitantly placed a hand on his cheek. "You can relax now, Pretas."

Pretas put a hand to cover her own and then leaned in slightly to kiss her.

Hieronyma hesitated a moment, then leaned towards him, kissing him softly. They wrapped arms around each other, the stars glinting in the background.

The Dawn arrived, with the ripping of light and darkness the oddly built craft rumbled towards the Spirit as Ni-Fang ordred the decloaking of the ship. Sooner or later the craft would land in the hangarbay of the Spirit, and with it, Project Startail.

But then plans changed. When sherecived word that Xi-lans craft was leaving she called for a shuttled to be made ready, "I will go to the Dawn and retrive Project Startail. I want both the Dawn and the Spirit to land a the MerTelCom docking center on Lokika. Mother knows what to do from there." Ni-Fang told Hieden, "Follow Mothers' lead, Hieden, you will find yourself in hot water, and not mine. If you fail her." Ni-Fang didn't want to mention how Fan had been slowly going back to the point of saying nothing, and only mentally speaking.

Ten minutes later the shuttle landed on the Dawn, five minutes after that a small wedgelike craft, clearly wingess by sight of it appeared from the forward docking bay of the Dawn. Hieden had to stare, what in the galaxy was that craft? Was that Project Startail?

The tiny one person craft blasted from the Dawn moving swiftly the craft headed for the planet. Far too fast for even a 302 to keep up with the little thing, not even nine meters in length, the fighter was tiny compaired to a 302 or even a jumper like craft. The craft itself was capible of warp travel forup to one week, and normal space travel for two weeks at best speeds. But what had bothered Hieden when he saw the wingless fighter leave the Dawn was that it did not look like a space usible fighter of any kind.

Dubbed Project Startail, the fighter was powered by a magnetic system of coils, providing power to last pretty much until the end of time or it was blown apart, whichever came first. But then in the4 hands of the pilot like Ni-Fang, it appeared until the end of time would be when it would stop providing power at a constant rate. The wedge shaped craft was not just fast and small, but small enough to not be seen by other craft due to its color as it headed for the planet Hieden lost sight of it. Then he saw it again as it passed over a harther away Hatak like ship. Which promptly began firing in Ni-Fangs general direction, until it stopped as the trails of fire were suddenly aiming at one of its own kind.

Apparently Ni-Fang was either out of her mind or doing something important. There was also a new crews listing that Hieden was to read over, several new recurits had joined up on the Dawns roster, and only three of them were technicians for Project Startail. Of the names on the list of new crewmen was an odd one, clearly of an older group of planets. Hoi'mon, Nimbolt, and Sacar. One of them a spy of some kind, yet none knew this.

But if one was a spy.... why was he working for? And why?

Hieden watched the tiny craft's light hurtle off into space like a comet, he shook his head and swore, unaware Xue was standing behind him, watching Gera's troops file out in tactical groupings through the ruined buildings. Linelle was leading a squad of ten and entered the main office area through a concealed basement stairway.

"Bloody fool girl, what the hell is sh...."

"Thats our daughter you speak of Star." Xue said to him quietly as she tapped him on the shoulder, he spun around in a blur of movement that made him disappear briefly, Xue took a step back in startlement, but his iron hand was on her throat.

"You betrayed me twenty years ago Xue.". He looked to watch Linelle follow the soldiers into the basement." ...I will not have ye betray me again." He let her go and began to walk away, but she did not let him unsettle her. She grabbed him roughly by the arm.

"I did not betray you Hammer Starfire, you knew I could not marry you. My family traditions demanded I marry wealth, my brother put a bounty on your head as it was for just merely being attracted to me. It was only in being married to Johen, that Che called it off, though he still curses your name." She rubbed her slender neck and dropped her hand. Hieden mellowed slightly then.

"Che would have had a hard time collectin it Xue, we could have gone..."

"Away? He a father would have scoured the verse for us, and had us both killed, would you have wanted that for Ni?" She looked genuinely sad. "And Johen needed me, I could not leave him, in time I grew to love him, in a fashion."

"No....I would not. Yes I suppose, but you were willing to leave him then, that's what hurt. But I'm past that now." They began to walk toward the front of the main building as the first of the planets three moons edged over the horizon, the sudden shift of sunset to night was a magnificent display of reds, pink and the the deep violtet of night. "Johen knows of course?"

"Yes, I could not keep it from him, that is a part of the reason he loves you like a brother, he knew, in his own words, he could not father a goat. So he was eternally grateful to you for his newborn child. But Ni does not know, maybe as age at last takes Johen, she should."

"No....not now. I have my own family to care for, and Linelle would never forgive me, you know I went straight back to her, after we...parted ways."

"Yes I know. But she knows Hammer. She knows."

"What the ......how in hells name does she kn....."

"Shes eldar, she came to me and simply asked me, I could not lie to her. She has no issue with either of us, what is done is done as she told me." They neared the front doors as a vox call came through.

"Xue its Linelle, we've secured the building, that harlot didn't leave much. We believe she may have taken about twenty senior staff as prisoners the rest are dead, except for one, Liela Macros, your secretary, she is in a bad way. But the good news is there was one secure terminal she did not find, and it has an encrypted message on about Ni-Fangs little craft."

Hiedens ear pricked up on hearing the last, he spoke into Xues vox. "Well be right there lass." He followed his elegant once love, through the broken doorway.

Hieden and Xue entered the complex through the main door and headed to where Linelle was waiting, the walls wwere pockmarked and in several areas all that was left was broken glass or burn marks. Xue seemed angered somehow as she inspected some of the marks. "Laraxans weapons make burns, and also worse." she mumbled to herself as they arrived at what should have been a closet, but with the stuff within removed, and a blinking voxscreen staring them in the faces.

Another man arrived, one of Geras newer men, yet well trained enough he carried only a odd looking lotus like weapon of bronze color. "The main building is secured." Hoi'mon said calmly. With a slight bow to Hieden he continued speaking towards Xue, whom he knew top be in command at the minute. "None of the other staff, be they maids, jaintors or otherwise survived, all senoir staff are gone. Vox systems as well."

Xue was fuming; "So the Desecrator had tried ot retake the planet she was born from? What did she want from here?" She was looking towards Hoi'mon as she spoke.

"My guess is the Enemy is interested in MerTelComs current trade routes and otherwise, cutting off supply routes from here to Holy Terra makes for another war perhaps between Lokika and Terra?"

"Unless she wanted something else" Hieden said going ot the terminal and typing in code after code, none of them working. Linelle shook her head, even she was unable to get the thing to work for her with the codes she knew. And none of Hiedens codes were working.

"You think the Desecrator is after something of my daughters creations?"

"Possible" Hieden replied clearly frustrated that none of his codes worked. not even Carter could try to crack the complity of the codex that Ni-Fang had set up. One code worked, and the rest followed suit. But none of the codes tried uunlocked the first encryption. Hoi'mon smiled faintly watching them try, so far only he and two others knew the access code, but he was not showing that he knew it, but he did send off a codex of somekind through subspace to a homeport of some kind.

Pretas was humming to himself as he walked along with a blueprint rolled up under his arm. He was designing a new class of ship, the prototype which he hoped to command. It would be a nice little niche to fill in what was starting to appear to be Ni Fang's growing fleet.

Hieronyma had been talking with Heiden briefly, but she turned and smiled at Pretas when she saw him, walking towards him. "Hey."

Pretas smiled at her. "Hello. I thought I might find Hieden here......"

He unrolled one of the two blueprints and handed it to Hieden. "This is the outmoded specs for the new 340 model you requested. I will oversee the production facility today."

Heiden took the blueprint and looked it over, impressed. "Aye, lad, you've done well." Hieronyma peered over his shoulder, eyes wide.

Pretas was still holding a blueprint. He held it up. "This is something else I designed entirely. I have been working on it for a few weeks. I think it is ready for production once I get the goahead."

Heiden took it, unrolling the blueprint and looking if over. He nodded slowly. "I'll have te take it to Ni-Fang, but I think she'll be impressed."

"It is much more advanced than Imperium tech.....It carries 6 guns as you can see, but the 4 front ones fire a rapid pulse laser that is deadly to fighters and even fairly larger ships. The 2 rear mounted ones fire beams that slice right through battleship armor."

Heiden shook his head in wonder. "Sometimes I wonder how you come up with these things, lad. But good job, I'll take these to Ni-Fang right away."

Pretas pointed under the two wings. "These also fire drones, the new weapon i designed for the building fleet. The drone luanchers. It carries 72 drones per luancher and it has 2 luanchers for 144 drones overall."

Heiden laughed. "Ya don't have te say anything else, lad, I'm impressed. I'll get back te ya and tell ya what Ni-Fang says, but I'm sure she'll approve."

Pretas looked at Hieden. "Also put in a request please for me to command the prototype.....I could house this ship in a cargobay quite easily. It is only 100 meters in length or so. It only requires a 5 person crew to run it."

Heiden nodded. "I'll make sure to do that, lad. I'll get back te ya on it." He nodded goodbye to both Pretas and Hieronyma, and walked away.

Pretas looked at Hieronyma. "Hello dear."

Hieronyma hugged him gently. "Hey, Pretas." She kissed him on the cheek.

He kissed her back. "I designed that new ship. If I do get to command her, would you want to be on it?"

Hieronyma smiled. "I would love to, Pretas, though I don't know of how much use I could be."

Pretas looked at her with a smile. "It really isn't a place for a medic, but you could be useful. It requires a 5 man crew to run everything, even though one person could fly her. I would captain it, and 4 other crewmen will be needed. A security officer, a tactical officer, a pilot, and a navigator."

Hieronyma laughed a little. "Well you will have to teach me to do something, then, so I can be of use."

Pretas smiled. "I could teach you something about tactical officer. I could even show you navigation. I think Gera would make a fine Security officer."

"Pretas, I'm sure that Gera is good at anything and everything." She laughed.

"Yeah, you could be a navigator and double as a medic as well. Useful to double up as a skill set on a small ship."

Hieronyma smiled a bit nervously. "Let's just hope I don't mess anything up."

Pretas looked at her and put a hand on her cheek tenderly. "I don't think you would.....it would be a small ship, rather cramped. The captain's quarters are a bit smaller than my own on the Spirit, and there is 4 other smaller spaces for quarters. They are all in the same section of the ship and I could have one of the smaller spaces renovated to join with the main quarters. It would make it larger for the both of us if you choose to stay with me...."

Hieronyma smiled, and touched his shoulder in a tender fashion. "You know I would..."

He looked at her with a warm smile. "I am sure Ni Fang will approve. A whole fleet will be constructed if she approves. I could easily have 5 of them assembled and our ship would be the prototype. I will also modify it to be even more advanced since it is the flagship of a frigate group if it comes to fruition."

Hieronyma smiled. "I know you can, Pretas. And I am sure Ni-Fang will approve. A fleet has its advantages."

Pretas smiled. "They are already planning to make a bunch of the escort cruisers with the 340 models......I am making a warp capable frigate designed to hit and run an attacker. This new ship is bred to be an attack ship. The 340 is a defender. It would be very useful. And its more advanced." He grinned.

Hieronyma laughed. "You have so many ideas, it is insane." She smiled sweetly at him, blushing a little.

Pretas blushed slightly. "I had them when I was in the Guards too. It was very useful for my company of soldiers. They loved my innovations. I don't even know where the knowledge comes from. I just seem to have it stored in my brain somewhere."

Hieronyma smiled. "I know the feeling. It's only happened to me once...but it was strange."

Pretas shrugged. "Well this would mean I would gain alot of prestige inside MerTelCom. I could be a fairly rich man."

Hieronyma laughed. "Doesn't matter to me if you are rich, I will love you either way and I just want you to be happy." She hugged him gently.

Pretas hugged her back. "It will provide us with the various means that we could use to enhance our living. A nice house perhaps when we are not in space."

"Which will be rare," Hieronyma said with a laugh.

Pretas smiled."Yes.....but it would be nice to have one. I could even form a fleet after a time of my own like Ni-Fang and have trade fleets running around. Be a nice retirement too..."

Hieronyma laughed, and smiled. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves now. Want to go get some lunch?"

Pretas smiled. "Yes.....I think so."

Hieronyma smiled. "Let's go, then." He took her hand and walked off to the mess hall. His weapon ready looking for enemies.

Liela Macros sat up against the door of the closet she had hidden in, she was in bad shape but at least alive. Xue knelt beside her.

"What can you tell us Liela? Take your time." She wiped blood away from her secretary's face and gave her warm tea.

"Not much ma'am. When her soldiers first came in they killed most everyone except the technical staff, they were herded away in a transporter. Me that evil woman, she questioned me, hurled me around just with her mind...ma'am her eyes glowed red gold, ....I..I was so afraid...I soiled myself." The poor young woman was truly terrified, tears flowed down her cheeks. Linelle came and joined them and held her hand. The warmth of that touch renewed her voice.

"She kept asking about the Lady Ni-Fang, and some Admiral or something, I told her I didn't even know what the word meant." She sipped the tea. "A man, she said, an Ancient man who lives and dies. She claimed he worked for you ma'am.....I don't know, but she flung me again and I landed here...I think they thought I was dead and they left."

Hieden turned when he heard the last and left the console he was working on. "Lass this be important, so if ye can, did she take anythin else other than what we know is missin'?"

"No sir....she really wasn't interested, just killing and Ni-Fang and this....man."

"Alright lass." He straightened. "Linelle, Xue, maybe we should see about this data, I canna nae crack it here, but Dawn can, I can load it directly into her main drive and she will show us what that whore missed out on."

"Yes I believe that to be our best action. Linelle would you mind supervising Gera and his men in cleaning up this mess and help moving the dead" Xue took on her managerial role again, she also ushered two crew to carry Liela back to the Spirit.

"Of course Xue, you need not ask, it will be done." Linelle said and kissed Hieden's cheek softly as she passed him. "Do not worry too much for Ni-Fang, she takes after her father." She whispered to him.

Hoi'mon was taken aback when he heard Hieden mention the Dawn and what the ship could do, he needed that data himself and when Xue and Hieden headed for the ship he quietly followed them some paces behind.

Many leagues away, Xi Lan sat atop a packing crate in the warehouse of one of MerTelCom's suppliers. Every single soul of that company was dead, corpses littered the area she was in and some of those were her own, for no other reason than it gave her pleasure. She could feel the prescence of her nemesis, his power, but not the girl, she could not sense her, and that gave her worry. But even more so if they were together, they would destroy her. She lashed out with her power and brought a wall down on a small freighter in the dock....just because she could.

Apperently Xue Shen knew Hoi'mon was following, though she voxed Gera to ask why the new soldier was with them when they had scoured the complex, and was given a simple reply, Hoi'mon was assigned to keep watch over madam Xue Shen, mother of his employers captain, Ni-Fang at all costs. Hoi'mon was most trustworthy in battle due to his training skills. However it was noted he perfered to work alone as much as possible.

Xue Shen spoke up as Pretas left to go eat, noticing how he and Hieronyma seemed closer, the male much more relaxed around the Techmedic. "Hoi'mon, According to my husbands charter listing for crew workmen you are on the list of men surrounding the item known only as Project Startail, no doubt a creation of my daughter?"

"Yes" Hoi'mon replied hesitating for but a heartbeat to keep himself from replying with indeed, he had to maintain his cover of being from Port Wander, where most of the soldiers were taken in from anyway.

"What do you know of my daughters creation?"

"All i know at this time madam Xaiu, is that Master Johen, my employer, wanted one with skill in technical systems and computers for starfighters, apparently Captain Ni-Fang wished to use this technology in her fighter."

"Why kind of technology?" Hieden interjected, earning him a crack to the chin from Xue for butting in, Xue Shen spoke then, saying simply, "What he said"

"Apparently according to the doctuments used, Captain Ni-Fang has the same technology as the Dawn when it comes to flight systems and weapons control, along with top navicomputer systems as well. Master Johen wanted simulations run, Apparently project Startail is faster then even the Dawn itself. Though I've yet to be impressed about it as it looks, well, fragile is not the right word for it."

Was he laying it thick or telling only what he knew? "The craft, it is a one personm thing, not large for two, yet faster then anything inthe MerTelCom fleet." Xue said aloud in thought.

Hoi'mon was thinknig of what to put in his next report. With a slight bow of Lokikaen style he said simply to Xue, "if you'll forgive me madam I must have some time to myself to tend to some personal things concerning myself anda refresher unit, andalso some sleep as well,for I have been awake for almost two days and require sleep." Most of it was true, Hoi'mon only wantedto get somewhere on his own, And apparently that only place he coulduse as a refresher was on the Dawn, and it oddly recognized him as a soldier under Geras command list. And even more so as one of Johens top advisors.

That was when Hieden spoke, "There's a refresher onboard the dawn within the main cargo hold as you enter on the left, also asleep pallet there as well. You can freshen up there as well and report to the the main offices of the complex here when done so." That said Hieden watched Hoi'mon take a nod from Xue to leave and enter the dawn. Though one thing was for sure, the Dawn wouldn't be able to crack the codex that Ni-Fang had setup, only N-Fang, Johen, and Hoi'mon knew it.

Once Hoi'mon was onboard the Dawn and had found what Hieden had said, he ued the refresher, then took out his small PDA like device, a vox of sorts one called it. Though his was modified ot the point of subspace transmissions. Hesent the following notice to somewhere in the Astralis Sector, beyond the Kronos Expanse.

From: Operative/Hatter M  
To: AlHiCom Secure Net/NABIS  
Public Key; Negative  
Code key: Rings of Moons shield fear

Sirs in higher ranks; (Hoi'mon never reverted any of his employers, those being General O'Niell himself and also several other Tok'ra operatives) There is notice to take extreme caution. There is a woman in this galaxy calling herself Xi Lan, Apparently a native of the planet Lokika. Be warned; this womanis dangerous, she seeks an Ancient being. Also note the details of previous report of Project Startail prototype starfighter. I assume this is what this Xi Lan also seeks.

Also take note; Local trader group known as MerTelCom has in its possession a Daedalus Class cruiser classed as Red Dawn, a near exact match of Daedalus class carrier Starfire. Be warned, Dawn has onboard AI similar to NABIS system. Localised however to own fleet workings and fighters.

Hoi'mon sent the databurst, not leaving his name either, then he went to sleep, the databurst sent through subspace, and his PDA vox untracedconnection wasn't found. If it was, it was a normal outgoing data pieceIDedas basic supply report.

Hieden and Xue reached the Dawn's bridge, she appologised for hitting him but he just smiled as she rubbed her knuckles, _"Gods is he made of iron"_ She thought. Then she asked if she could be logged into Dawn's system, Hieden had the bio sampler moved to the bridge next to his command chair, he logged in and took a small amount of blood from her finger and entered her into the ships system, Dawn responded in her usual cheery voice.

"Welcome aboard madam Xue, how may I help you."

Xue was a little surprised but didn't show it, that a ship could talk. She took the data disk from Hieden and inserted into Dawn's mainframe. "Can you extrapolate this encyption Dawn?"

"I can Xue, the algorythm is complex, perhaps a day or so. But I must tell you, a data bust has just been sent from a remote terminal in the cargo hold, should I send security droids?"

Hieden and Xue knew who it was, Hieden spoke up. "Yes Dawn, do so, but subdue only, no lethal action."

"I think we have some questions to ask of someone Hammer."

"I agree, we'll take the rear elevator, it will block his exit if he suspects and sees us coming from his front." Hieden replied and the two set off to uncover this strange turn of events.

Four Sentinel probots, formerly human beings calnked onto the deckplates towards the small unit that Hoi'mon took for some rest. But he wasn't resting since he had kept his name only as one of his alias' he liked from a comic book series from Earth that Walter had gotten him into. Hoi'mon typed out something on a small computer and inside of five heartbeats Hoi'mon had stark white hair that went past his shoulders, a tall dark brown hat, anda dark navy blue suit.

He sent another data burst to the MerTelCom complex for a supply report as per normal readings, this time signing it as Johen himself, as if Johen had arrived on deck. Putting on his overcoat Hoi'mon, known now as Hatter M, eaded upwards, directly into the vent systems, after injecting himself with an isitope at least.

As they walked Xue Shen had to wonder who wouldsend such adatastream report ofsome kind, then shewonderedaloudand asked Dawn; "Where was the databurst sent?"

"To Holy Terra madam." Came the reply. "From my reading of it the report is merely a report of how things fare here for Master Johen to review. I have isolated one fothe rooms on the aft section of deck nine. just above the engines, my connection there in holographic form is limited to only engineering and medical."

"So Johen wants to know how things fare? why is he so worried of my homeworld?" That even Hieden couldn't answer.

"He's dying" Daniel stood behind Hieden, who had to twist his neck to see his firend and also to see if he was solid matter or not, Hieden spoke with his mind, a old trick he had long forgotten. "Johen is?"

"Yes, he has an incurable cancer, well, you could heal him I suppose, but that's not the point. He simply wants to make sure everything is secure before he goes." Daniel looked pensive, then Elizabeth appeared beside him.

"William, you have to somehow convince Xue and Ni-Fang to return. I will 'speak' to your daughter and implant in her mind the need to come here immediatley. Besides, there is little else for your people here now, Xi Lan is going to move against Terra in ten days time." She left as mysteriously as she came.

"Hmmm, alright then Daniel, I will do so, but there is something I need you to do." Heiden said without turning, Xue was totally unaware this was going on.

"Yes Will?"

"Go to Dakara and see if the Fraiser is still there, she should be, I sealed the hangar before the war finished, let me know how she is."

"I'll be back Will, take care." And then he was gone again.

"Xue, we must leave, matters need our attention elsewhere." Hieden said softly. She could see in his eyes it was serious, and if anything else, Xue always trusted his judgement.

As she tested out her new project she was glad to see it perform as expected. She blasted apart severaldrone operated items for target practise aswellas other things, speed turns, braking. Everything worked. Then it happened, A voice, looking over her shoulder andseeing nothing she slowed her craft to a halt anddrifted in space, the daemon within her growled something. Something of a hologram appeared on her dashboard area of the craft. She spoke, her voice ice cold. "Who are you? What do you want? How do you know this channel?"

Daniel could tell this was going to be a hard talk. So he simply said, "You are to return to Terra, Xi Lan is moving against the planet in ten days time. Your father, Johen has need of your presence." he told her.

A quickcheck showed her that the holo system was turned off and not reciving anything. So how could? "Who are you? Are you one of those that Hieden refuses to speak about?" Daniel realized that Ni-Fang would never accept the truth of who her father truly was. Even in death she'd be truly defiant that Johen was her father.

And it was msotly true, Hammer was merely her uncle, not her father. Daniel merely repated thatshe was to head to the planet and return to theDawn, afterwich the ship and the Spirit would return to Holy Terra. Ni-Fang replied, "Look, I don;t know who the freck you think you are to tell me what to do, if you don't tell me your name, I'll murder Hieden myself, andhe wont be able to return from the dead when I'm through with him!" She was clearly angered to be distractedduring thetesting of her new project.

Daniel sighed, he did what hecould as he faded from her view and went back to Hieden. Unknown to either of them, Ni-Fang already knew of her fathers illness. She was the one that instated it into his system, it was cureable, but then she hada plan in mind for her father, she beingthe sole heir to MerTelCom feuled that move. But she was not going to kill her father, not yet.

Not ever.

Her father, Johen Xaiu, was going to take on Xi Lans forces in full health. Her father would live another day. But the truth of her birth, she would never accept. With that thought shewent back totesting thecraft, her anger clearly felt, not many could get past her anger, the only one at that point who actually could, was Fan.

Hoi'mon, now known as Hatter M, an advisor to Johen himself and more or less acting as if he had always bee nthere on theship, which he had arrived to Lokika on in fact, arrived near where Xue Shen and Hieden were in the hallsheading for the cargo hold area. Xue Shen recognized him instantly. "Master Madigain?"

"In the flesh Madam, I am here by Johens request to oversee operations here on Lokika, consideringthe ammount of losses taken by both staff and technology anddata itself. I also bring an announcement, the God-Emperor wants to see your daughter." he said to Xue, he had read a report sent to him. Johen needed them all back at Terra within five days! "Johen also makes that asof now, Madam Xue Shen, is in charge of MerTelCom and all its holdings, as Master Johen can barely get out of bed as it is." Hatter M finished speaking.

Hieden said nothing as Xue raised a hand to her mouth in shock, Hatter M continued. "Master Johen also wishes to speak to you personally Captain Starfire. He also has request that his daughter, Ni-Fang be present, where is she?"

"Not heeding the summons we sent to her." Hieden replied sensing both Daniel and Elizabths 'we tried our best' shoulder pat to him.

"Hmm. Though that need not worry, I can contact her via its vox system, and have her meet us at Holy Terra." Hoi'mon said.

"Why Holy Terra?" Hieden faked it and asked that question, as if not knowing exactly why theDawn and the Spirit were both needed.

"It concerns the Laraxans. Several troop movements have beensighted near a odd point in the warp, the God-Emperor wants every able soldier ready to defend Holy Terra. That includes Ni-Fang,, her mother, and yourself." With a tip of his hat, Hoi'mon left the Dawn and headed for another ship as if to leave the planet.

With Hoi'mon off the ship, and on a different one heading back to Holy Terra, but also a small interception with another craft ofsimilar make. That left Xue, Hiden and Linelle at the hangar bay of the Dawn. Xue spoke her mind. "Ni-Fang refused your summons? you never sent one, so how would she knew we have need of her?"

"I have my ways Xue Shen, you know that" Hieden said. A heartbeat later and a blade was at his neck.

"Do not lie to me Hieden Hieldenhammer. You know something tohers do not, out with it!" Apparently Xue was not one for games at this point, Johen had placed her in charge of the company until Ni-Fang took over, or until he was well enough to oversee things again. But until that time, no secrets would be kept. None.

Hieden took a breathe, then spoke, telling as much as he knew at that moment, but nothing more. Since Xue only asked how he knew Ni-Fang had refused the summons that was never sent. "So the dead help you know things? what are you Hieden? A dead speaker?" She removed the blade from his neck and turned away. "Have the Dawn loaded onto the Spirit, then have them head for Terra, I'll be in my chambers" She left the hangar of the Dawn and entered the Spirit, locking herself in a room.

Outside a ship a hail came, it was Ni-Fang "I'll meet you at Holy Terra, Hieden, I expect you to follow Mothers orders, don't do anything rash." With that she hit the warp drive and shot into the void, heading for Holy Terra. It was then the first of many headaches would hit. And none of them were fun.


	11. Chapter 11

Rogue Trader; Tales from the Spirit of Silence  
Episode 11

Fronache & a Latte [part II]

Once she hit warp and the darkness covered her tiny craft Ni-Fang soon settled into a deep sleep. in her mind time was moving, it was a three day trip via direct lane use from Lokia to Terra, and her father was dying. But he was not going to die this soon. She slept long and hard, and as she slept she found herself inside a building. a diner of sorts.

Looking around she had to wonder where the frek she was. she spotted a single person, a woman with black hair, and for a moment she only stared, this was too surreal! "Who are you?" Ni-Fang asked when she realized she didn't have anything for a weapon, not even a chair! She had to play it safe even though she was asleep.

Morgan stopped at the table and sat across from her, some of her features, like Hiedens steel green eyes and dark hair were seen clearly. Morgan smiled. "My name is not important right now, but what is important young one is your history."

"What do you mean?" Ni-Fang asked confused giving Morgan a 'you're kidding right?' though in her mind she kept thinking, its just a dream. Then she realized. "It is about the head grabber thing, right?" Morgan shook her head, though she knew that Ni-Fang had downloaded the datasbase, and her daemon within her had kept her from breaking down within days muchless hours of downloading the thing. OK so it wasn't that. so she asked. "What history?"

Morgan seemed to inwardly chuckle "How much do you know of a planet called Dakara?"

Ni-Fang looked at Morgan, bit her lip a heartbeat, then said simply. "Not much"

Morgan then procceeded to tell her aboujt the planet, and instructed Ni-Fang to send a notice to Hieden to go there. there would be an item most useful for Ni-fang there. After what seemed like many hours Morgan said that she could wake up. Butr before she stood up Ni-fang had one last question to ask.

"What is Pandora?" Morgan had ot stare, how did that data get into the database? Morgan shook her head and said simply. "That I cannot answer, you will have to ask Hieden." it was true, Morgan had no idea what Pandora was about other then that box. Ni-Fang nodded then and stood up to leave, as she did so the building faded and she came to inside Startail.

OK girl that was different, she thought. she dropped ouyt of the warp near a planet, and sent a notice to Hieden, it read short and simple. "Go to Dakara system, there is an item there that should help us against Xi Lan, make haste, I will meet you in my fathers office." She jumped back to the warp and continued to Holy Terra

"You can't go I forbid It." Linelle was in one of her moods. A year had passed since the last confronation with Xi Lan. Heiden was anxious to do something, anything, but this. He had told her about his need to go to this Dakara place some time ago, and indeed he would have gone. But Xue had too much to do with Johan's health failing and Ni-Fang away so much. Hieden and Linelle were more or less running the company, so much so Xue and Johen had agreed to grant them a one third share in trust for Daniel and Elizabeth.

"Lin I must, and ye know it. That maniac is still on the loose out there and she is building her forces. Ni-Fang's last vox confirmed it, Xi Lan is a prepping fer a big push agin us. We need th' advantge now, more than ever." He tried his best to sound convincing but was doing a shoddy job, and he knew it.

"On one condition then I shall grant it Hammaer Starfire, I know Xue is going with you, and I trust you both. But if you cross me again, I have your permission to kill you both...agreed." She smiled wickedly, and a tear fell. Hieden held her closely.

"Agreed"

In the early hours Hieden, Xue-Lan and Pretas left in the Jumper that was part of the Dawn's original alotment of auxillary vessels, the same one that only he and Pretas could fly, due to their certain heritages. Xue wanted badly to know why she could not fly it herself, onlt the explanation from Pretas drove her to snuggle down in the rear compartment and sleep. In fifteen hours they were over a reddish brown planet, they checked for life signs and found none. Hieden gently aroused Xue, "We're here sleepy-head." He said with a smirk. Neither he nor Pretas had slept at all.

Landing in a small defile, Pretas went over the instruments and made sure there was atmosphere, everything was in the green. "So tell me Captain, what is so special about this barren world?" He asked.

Xue Shen wanted the same answer, but she saw there was a memory in Heiden's eye that was hurtful to recall. "Perhaps another time Techpreist, for now, we do what we came here for and get back to Terra as quickly as possible."

"No it's alright Xue. This place was a scene of both great tradgedy and triumph, many times over. But alas, in the end, evil once again ruled here, and the forces of good could only undo all the great things that had been achieved here to destroy that evil. Nevertheless me friends, in the end those good forces returned here for a short while, but all the glory was gone, so it was left te nature once again." Hieden opened the rear hatch and stepped out. "This was, it be a short walk up this valley."

The sun beat down wickedly and the 'short walk' turned into a three hour slog. Finally though they came into a sheltered ravine, there was little here except for a small rivulet and some dense scrub. Hieden bid the other two to wait as he scrambled up a rocky slope. In a few minutes he hailed them and they found themsleves in a dank musty cavern, which once may have been a temple of sorts. He paced the space in four places until he found a blank smoothly finished wall, the dust of ages covered it, but running his hand over it revealed a panel, it slid out smoothly. He placed his hand on it and the wall disappeared as if it was never there.

Pretas took in a large breath, Xue was equally taken aback. Before them was what could only be described as a hangar, similiar to that on the Dawn, only much, much larger. Directly in front of them, as lights came on with their approach was a ship. Maybe one third the size of the Dawn perhaps, but it was blocky and arrogant looking, and Pretas could see it was nothing more than a weapons platform, he ran down the small slope and stood beneath it's aggressive prow.

"This...this belonged to the Old Ones of Terra?" He said in awe.

"Yes laddie, this is the Janet Fraiser, a pure gunship, in the sense and she has more than that as well. Her design is such, we can build five o' her in th' time it takes te' make one of the Dawn. An she is deadly." He turned to Xue-Lan. "Xue she only needs a good crew of no more than sixty or so. She can carry troops if ye like as well. But there is more, come."

He led them to a vertical ladder in climbed up into the ship. Systems came online the moment their presence was detected. Hieden took them to the holding area, adjacent to one of the two large hangar bays. Ther he showed them what could only be described as ground vehicles, eight of them, in three varieties, some armed by the looks of them. he stood with his back to the arrayed equipment. "Well, what do ye think Xue?"

She held her finger to her lip in thought. "Very nice Star, and I'll have as many of these ships and whatever she carries built. But how in Hell's name do we get it out of here?"

Hieden laughed a hearty sound. "Oh that's th' easy part lass, we simply engage the warp drive. I'll get back to th' Jumper and dock her. Then in half the time we took te' get here we'll be back on Terra."

"Do it, now." She demanded, her arms folded beneath her breasts, the sternest of looks upon her face. "I want that witches head."

Ni-Fang arrived at Holy Terra, reciving an input notice from Startail that the Spirit and the Dwan heraded for Dakara, whatever the place had for them she hoped it was worth the trip. She headed for high orbit then headed for the landingpad at MerTelCom's main tower in the Imperial City where her father Johen was. The purple craft landed and several servants rushed out to refuel the craft, and also inform Ni-Fang of her fathers condition. With a curt nod she dismissied the servant to rejoin the others in caring of the fighter craft and headed into the tower.

Stalking down several halls untill she found the room her father was in, she entered, speaking in Lokikaen she told the doctors to leave and wait outside. After they left she locked the door. she turned towards her father. "Diae" she said. Hoping he was still alive and she wasn't too late for the antidote.

"Ni-Fang" Johen replied, he opened his eyes slowly and looked at her as she stepped forward, placing a needle into his right arm near the wrist. "How is your mother?"

"She is fine. She is worried for you, Hieden and her have gone to a planet called Dakara, whatever they are looking for I think they know what they are doing." She said nothing more, the needle drained of its content was thrown away. Her father looked a bit better.

Johen smiled as he sat up, feeling better then heh ad in weeks. he looked to his daughter. "Your mother is not taking things well, when you ewere mourning your first mate she worried more for you then anything else. What worries her now I wonder?"

"Lokika no doubt worries her, she has to find more staff for the planets HQ of MerTelCom." She said.

out in the hallway a man walked towards Johens room, stopping near the door Qiu Xien listened to what was said inside. His forehead mottled in thought and a flare of anger shot through him. Ni-Fang survived? Frek! What mnade him angerier was the mention of the two children born to Ni-Fangs first mate and navigator. That both children were to be given a share of trust found of MerTelCom. Rather then see his brother in law as he had planned, Qiu turned and left the doorway at a fast walk, he had a different plan.

Ni-Fang smiled and pushed her father back to the bed. "You are ill Diae, and you know it, Mother can handle things of the Company until you are well enough to work without worry of your illness." She told him.

Johen smiled. "Always the thinker." He grabbed his daughter and hugged her. when she gave off a small squak of surprise he laughed aloud. "When I am well enough to work without worry, things will be set up for you to have a fleet of your own. I was given word through a servant that your mother had given order to build a small group of craft. I was told they'd be cheap to make yet battle worthy and the like. Now i must sleep, if your uncle is waiting to see me, let him in as you leave." Johen settled back in the bed as Ni-Fang smiled and let go of her father and left the room. She didn't see her uncle anywhere so she merely shook her head at her fathers question if any were there to see him. then she shut the door and left.

The path way of the ancient made homestead of Lokikaen make was lined with soldiers every five meters. each soldier keeping watch. Qiu entered the homestead and spoke in a odd voice. Another man appeared, a dark blond haired man at that, dressed similar to Qiu and Ni-Fang both, a one piece tunic that acted more liek a robe with a dark emerald shash tied around his waist, his hair was worn long in the traditational Lokiaen way. Qiu smiled. Chyen YeQien jhad learned much and seemed ready to work now, he also seemed a bit lovestruck.

"Master Shao, you called for me?" Chyen said

"Yes, I have a job for you, I want you to meet with Ni-fang, my niece, take her to dinner, try to get her mind off her faghers company and onto you. Her mother, my sister, runs the company now and Johen is dying. When Johen goes, I will see to it that you marry Ni-Fang, but only when Johen has died." Qiu replied. If Ni-Fang married a man outside the company her share of the company would then be rendered void, and even worse as Chyen's bloodline was that of Xi Lans own extencded family! Yet Chyens family crest was a purple snake on a white field.

Chyen only smiled. He loved Ni-Fang, but how could he get close enough to her without giving himself away? "How do I do that? If a wrong move is made she will know and try to kill me."

Qiu laughed and shook his head. "I have another already planet on her ships crew, a former sister of battle subset named Sisters of Luna, her name is Rain, she will meet with you when the time is right or when you need help." Qiu huimself had no idea that Ni-Fang was gearing up for a fight against the Desecrator of the Holy Temple on Lokika. but when that fight would happen...

The three of them settled back for what they thought would be an uneventful journey back to Terra. Hieden took the time to explain the small ships systems it's history and give them a detailed tour. They were running on a automated routine and so there was no need for concern, the ship's computer would sound an alert if anything should go wrong, so the Captain made sure both his firends knew as much about the vessel as time allowed.

They were now in the starboard hangar bay, where four of the fighter craft, the same as the one Hieden brought back from the desert outpost, were stored. Along with six larger craft that to Xue and Pretas were equally amazing. Stout fat things with drooping wings, missile stations on each wing and a lethal looking gun turret atop the cockpit. It carried a aircrew of four and could also carry up to twenty four fully armed troops or two of the land vehicles he had shown them earlier. The strike craft as he called them, were known as Tornado's, or more technically AC401's, built primarily for attack missions and delivering troops and equipment rapidly to the ground.

They moved on and both Xue and Pretas were full of questions, more than anything else they wanted to know about the name of the ship. "She is certainly full of wonder Star..." Xue began, "but as it is obviously built purely for war, I must ask, as I read the files in the logs, why was it named so. This woman who carried that name was a medical healer, a...doctor. That doesn't seem to fit with the ships role."

"Yes Captain, I had been wondering about that also. I saw this Janet Fraiser on the holovox in the underground base, can you explain. That old world did place great store in naming their ships."

Hieden's memories of William MacGregor came to the fore as he explained in the most succinct terms he could manage. "Tha' ships were nominated the 'Heroine' class. Doctor Janet Fraiser was a military surgeon who died whilst trying to save a soldier on the battlefield. This 'ere ship was the first of her class, so the honour went to her, to carry the name of a true hero." He closed his eyes for a moment. Though William never met Janet, he had read and re-read all the files of the SGC during his time there, she was so much like his wife Anne of that time.

They moved on and after a short tour of the missile batteries, which to Hieden's own amazement, were all fully functional, with eighteen of the twenty tubes loaded with working Horizon missiles and more in the holding stores. This boded well for production on their return. Returning to the bridge, the elevator doors opened and the moment their feet stepped forward, the klaxon alarm blared loud in their ears, all three of them looked curiously at one another, until Xue saw immediately before them, out through the large front window openeing two golden pyramid shape ships. "Xi-Lan!" She spat. "Hieden what do we do, you're the Captain here." She yelled at him as she grabbed his collar and hauled him into the bridge.

Shaking free of her grasp and smiling non to kindly at her, he jumped in the command seat and began a well practiced drill. "Xue, take that seat there." He pointed to the missile command chair. "Pretas, beside me here, gunnery."

Boom! A heavy hit glanced of the hull shaking the occupants. On the leading Hatak one of Xi-Lan's commanders dressed in the robes of her clan, ordered more strikes. "Launch the Death Gliders, we shall wipe this Terra vermin from Her Majesties realm."

"Shields up and holding Captain. Firing main cannon." Pretas called as another red-gold beam struck the ship. This time though the shields absorbed the shot and only a mild rocking affected the Fraiser. The pale blue Asgard beam from the forward turrets sliced through the second Hatak, cleaving it in two. Pretas glanced forward momentarily and then looked away when he saw bodies being sucked into the void.

"Good job son." Hieden yelled as another shock wave, a little more efficient this time, jolted the cruiser. "Xue, ready missiles three to eight fire on my mark..." He glanced up for a second. "Ah hells that wench learns quickly, they have fighters. Xue fire now, Pretas switch to rail guns, clear that garbage away now!" Both did as the experienced mind of MacGregor filled Hieden's thoughts, rattled out commands.

After several minutes it was over, the Fraiser had survived her baptism of fire in this new era, but not before the Hatak commander had voxed Xi-Lan full details of the engagement and data on this new small and most deadly ship. It was the last thing he did, as his ship imploded around him, when five Horizon missiles found their mark. Debris floated with the bodies as the Fraiser made the jump for Terra.

(((

Ni-Fang was wandering the gardens of her fathers vast complex inthe Imperial City, not knowing that pair of eyes belonging ot one Chyen YeQien were watching her closely. Ni-Fang began to go through moves of some kind of odd dance.

After a while Chyen spoke up. "gǒǒd skíll" he said to her stepping into view.

Ni-Fang halted and turned towards him. "whō ārě yòú?" she asked him

"Chyēn yéqíèn" Chyen replied, "I work for your father"

"For my father? Why then have I never heard of you? what is your family crest?" Ni-Fang asked a sword towards the man

In reply to the question of his family crest he simple pointed to his necklace. the purple snake shined clearly. "You never noticed others working for you fgather because you aren ever here long enough" he said to her.

"How would youk now of my doings?" Already she was disliking this man, but oddly attracted to him.

"I keep an eye on the company logs, it is what your father has me do at times."

"Who are you really?"

"I am a friend, nothing more, consider me a friend rather then an enemy, and we shall get along well." Chyen replied

"I am unsure of how well we shall get along, yet something tells me you speak truly. So I will trust you only so far." Ni-Fang said she smiled then and asked three quick questions. "What skills do you have? Have you been off of Holy Terra before, beyond Sol System? How are you with a crew of peers?"

She had caught him slightly off guard, he ansewered two of the three, "my skills are known to myself and my parents only, and also to my shifu, I work with a office full of people so that will be no different. I have only ventured as far as Lokika, never father."

He spoke truthfully. Ni-Fang nodded, "Spar with me then, and let us test your skills." Chyen smiled and made ready. Within a heartbeatthe pair were trading strikes and parries.

Ni-Fang and Chyen were slowly circling one another, poised and ready to cast blows, their lithe young bodies relaxed. Ni remembered a stance that Linelle had taught her, one of the secrets of the Nine warrior preists, she formed Weaving the Wind, just to see Chyen's reaction. Immediatley he chnaged his form to Folding the Fire, then she was onto him like a hurricane. "Liar!" She screamed at him, as she pinned him to the ground and kneed him hard in the groin. "Who are you really. If as you say, you've never ventured further than Lokika, how do you know these forms, answer me." She spat at him. "There are few eldar on Lokika, and none of the Nine...answer me now, or I'll finish your miserable..."

Her sentence was cut short by the now familar thrum of an Ancient Terra ship, but she knew it was not the Dawn. "Hieden, mother." She whispered, as she stood and released the hapless Chyen. "Guards." She called out. Two Crimson clothed men appeared "Hold this one in my chambers until I return, do not let him loose understand." She spoke hotly to three of her fathers Crimson guard, they spoke not, but saluted her, fists to chest, and led Chyen away. He cast a spiteful glance over his shoulder before he was out of her sight.

Others had heard the ships arrival as well. Linelle and Fan stood side by side in the courtyard, each holding the now two year old twins, they met with Ni-Fang and together they walked toward the large bare landing fielld just beyond the estate walls. Little Daniel cooed "Diae." As he pointed to the grey ship, it's four stout landing gear coming down, then cushioning the 'Thump' as the Fraiser landed. It was time for reunions all around.

Unseen tp all, a small silver sphere, perhaps a metre in diameter hovered nearby then whisked away. Many planets away, Xi-Lan sat upon her grotesque throne. She peered intnetly at the holovox images and cackled hideously. "I see you now young wench. I see you Agathon Istrael." Her hateful laughter made even her own guards cringe.

Ni-Fang waited for the landing ramp to lower she smelled something from the craft something oddly new, and yet, very old. When the ramp lowered her mtoher came down first, after trading words for a moemnt Pretas arrived carrying once more another DELL box of sorts. this one larger then anything Ni-Fang had ever seen, yet the man carried with with absolute ease. "Another?" she asked him, he only nodded and mentioned something of wheeled items as well within the ship.

Hieden appeared last, and Elizabeth started to reach for him, crying out "Diae!" Hieden laughed aloud as he took Elizabeth from Linelles arms, and hugged her, giving his wife a kiss to the cheek. he noticed that Ni-fang seemed oddly at edge.

"Somethin' on yer mind lass?" Hieden asked her.

"It is an employee of my father. His skills are that of the Nine, he knows the stances." She said quietly, now Linelle looked her way "He calls himself Chyen YeQien. the Purple Snake is his family crest, one I never heard of before."

"I am sure it is nothing, he sounds liek a promising man, where is he now?" Hieden asked, her mother merely nodded she knew of YeQien and had spoken with him at several points in time.

"i do not trust him, so I have him under guard, he is in my chambers right now under Crimson Guard." Ni-fang said, that meant something major was going on, if YeQien was under Crimson Guard something must have happened between the pair for that to be earned. The fact that he was in her own chambers made zero sense. Which promted Hiden to ask her.

"in your chambers? was he caught there or..."

"We sparred, it is how I found his skill of the stances. I tested him, he showed me he knew of the stances learned only by the Nine. he claims to never been beyond Lokika." Ni-Fang said, she shook her head, "Hieden ,what kind of woman do you think of me? I do not act rashly you know that" it had been two and a half years since the events of fighting with Jinjin and her downloading the data, and only one year since Hiden had removed it from her mostly so.

"At least not as much" Fan snickered recalling how Ni-Fang had once decked Hieden for going out of step when in conferance., but that was noew few and far between.

Hieden changed the subject then, "news of your father?"

"He is getting better the docotrs were able to conduct a successful experiment with a device Preta had created with Hieronyma's direction. she is with him now I think." Ni-Fang noticed how clsoe her TechMedic and TechPriest had been getting as of late.

"That is good I'll speak to him later if he is well enough to have company." Hieden said.

Ni-Fang only nodded, she spoke to her mother in Lokikaen before turning and heading for her chambers.

Chyen sat in a chair, one he had chosen to sit within, he was mostly right. Ni-Fang was a hard nut to crack rightly. He went over their sparring, more of a test she told himself, she was testing me. But did I pass or fail? he truly had not gone farther then Lokia in his life. But he had not the heart to etll of where he learned those stances, Folding the Fire was his personal favorite of the stances he knew, which was pretty much all Nine! he relaxed noting two guards standing witrhin reach of him, and one by the door, the three never spoke, nor did they asllow Chyen to move.

he knew how to channel pain so getting kneed in the grion didn't hurt much as he had thought, What he did not expect was to see Qiu arrive briefly and speak to the soldiers, which allowed him a bit of breathing room but not much. He was able to make himself more comfortable in the chair he had sat upon. then he had to wait

But not long, Ni-Fang stalked in, with so much as a wave of her hand the three guards left the room. Ni-Fang took a seat across from Chyen. "So" she said to him.

"So." he replied, wondering where the conversation was going to go

"Where did you learn the stances?" She had no idea that her uncle held a member of the Nine within the complex somewhere.

"On Mars Station. there were members of the Nine there, like I said I have never ventured further then Lokika, Mars is closer then Lokika." Chyen replied it was msotly true he had only been to Mars station once in his 27 years of life. and Ni-Fang was only twenty three and also knew the stances!

"You are right there were members living there but they are not there now, how long ago was your trip to Mars Station or to Lokika?"

"Six moons ago to Lokika, three years ago to Mars" he had no idea of Fan, or of who she was, thinknig her a member of anothers family of servants there.

Ni-fang stood to leave her chambers, though Chyen was still there, she moved to the door as he spoke up. "? Da, su wah Ai si gi Ai so si sho" She stopped and loked at him, thinking for a minute of what to say to him. He looked at her, his dark blond hair shifting with the breeze through the open door.

"Jai shi, sak to nikto, Chyen!" She hissed angered, slamming her fist to the door frame, a crack was heard where her fist connected. she turned towards Chyen. "?Da shi, shi si Ai tao sik yi sik"

"Yui Diae shang song du sak aei." Chyen replied standing from his chair and moving towards her.

"Di shik, si sa wai!" Ni-Fang hissed, turning towards him. her father had indeed hired the man that stood before her. "Su sien dak, ? du nu mavar sei" She got into a stance.

Right when Chyen was about to meet the stance with one of his own that Qiu himself taught him, Xue Shen entered the chambers doorway. "Ni-Fang." she called, then seeing Chyen she said somewhat calmer, and in athority "YeQien."

"Di Xue Shen." Chyen replied holding up his hands in the Salute of Lokika.

"Niang" Ni-Fang said seeing her mother, turnnig towards her she noticed her worry. "What is it?"

"The enemy is moving, your father wants you to get back to Hidenvale as soon as you can. Hieden also wants to go back there, Linelle and the children too are to go." Xue Shen said.

"What about you?"

"I will be fine here. it is you that is in charge of a crew of people that work for you, not I." Xue told her what Johen said to do. Ni-Fang had to be told the truth of her real father, but Xue Shen knerw that her daughter would refuse to believe it. Uncle Hammer would always be just that, her uncle, like Uncle Qiu. But she would tell her anyway.

Ni-Fang spotted Chyen still in the room, "what are you still doing here? go." She said, the tone of her voice, not to mention the anger in it made Chyen think that going without talking was the better idea, he skirted around both women and left the chambers at a fast walk.

When Chyen had left Xue Shen looked tired, as if she did not want to tel lthe next bit of news. "Niang, what is it? tell me trulthfully why does Diae want me to go?"

"Ni-Fang, Johen, he is not your father. Hammer Starfire is." Xue Shen said.

That was too much. Ni-Fang nearly went to the floor. She backed up, knocking a vase from its perch to the ground with a crack to the wood but a small dent to the metal. She stared at her mother. "No." She said quietly looking away, it couldn't be true. "No!" She repated, louder this time, and mostly out of fear. Xue Shen tried to get closer to her daughter, but Ni-fang would have none of it, pushing away her mother. She backed up another step. "No! Uncle Hammer died! You did not tell me then! Diae, the one you are married to Niang, is my father! Uncle Hammer..." Tears came to her eyes then and she turned away. her hand towards her mother, palm out, not wanting her mother to come closer.

Xue Shen watched her daughter, knowing in her heart that it was true. She watched Ni-Fang she had gone to the other part of the chamber. Leaning against the door post. Ni-Fang was speaking in another langauge, obvisouly that of her daemon.

'No, its not true, Hieden is Fan's Diae, not mine.' She was saying. her daemon tried to reason with her as well, but she was having none of it. 'HIEDEN IS NOT MY DIAE!' She screeched at last. She looked back to her mother, who still stood at the door. tears stung her eyes. Looking away, she tried to get hold of herself.

"Leave." she said at last.

"Ni-Fang." her mother started to say.

"GO!" Ni-Fang yelled, nearly cursing plainly by then, Xue Shen saw the anger in her daughters eyes and backed out of the room, closing the twin Lokiaen doors.

hearing her daughters anger being taken out on random items in the room beyond the doors, the noise was sure to draw attention, she called to the guards nearby. "Guard this door, should my dfaughter try to leave, contact Hieden or Linelle. if you have to, restrain her as you see fit." She said before leaving the area. Heading to Johen's medical room. She had done what she had to, she had told Ni-Fang the truth. And it was up to her now to take it as it was. Or to deny it.

Pretas stood on the edge of the loading ramp, his feet hurt and so did his head. He had gotten into little game with some of the estate's guards, they called it skulling. These men were from the far deep south, Australis, hardened by internal wars of many years, they reminded him much of Hieden, only their accents were even stranger. But they were good soldiers and some of them had been recruited into the ship's rosters to replace those who had been lost so far in the constant skirmishes were Xi-Lan's forces...too many he thought.

"What's taking them so long Captain?" He turned to Hieden.

"Not sure lad, some trouble with Ni-Fang according to Hieronyma. She was nae specific on the cause tho'." Hieden knitted his brow, holding his hand to shield the sun, he gazed toward the estate gates. "They're a coming now lad."

Looking hard through the heat haze, he saw Ni-Fang, her mother Xue, Hieronyma and Fan, flanked by Gera and two Crimson guards, but where was Linelle? It wasn't like her, the babes were with them, but the mother? He began to sweat a little, for the past few days, Linelle had told him she felt uneasy about something, but what was it?

Xue approached the Fraiser's ramp ahead of the others. She carried Elizabeth who slept in her arms.

"Star, I need to speak with you, alone." She said softly and handed the baby over to Pretas, seemed to take it in his stride, now three years old, she more than her brother, adored being held...by almost everyone. He remained where he was, as Hieden led Xue into the small ship.

As the two of them reached the elevator Hieden spoke. "It's Linelle isn't, there is something wrong Xue, I canna see it in yer eyes." He felt a knot in his throat.

"Yes." She said quietly. "We went to your rooms earlier and there was no sign of her. I've had my guards look everywhere..." She placed her hand on his arm gently. "I'll find her Star, I will. But you must leave here with Ni and the others, it's no longer safe."

"Xue, I can't leave without her..." His eyes filled, and rage slowly started beneath him. He began to quake.

"Star Hammer, be the giant of a man I know you to be. I will find Linelle, I promise you. I'm keeping Gera, Timsa Aldare and Kestre Naidin with me." She stood closer to him and held him briefly. "Now take Ni and the rest to Hiedenvale, I'll join you there soon. And one other thing, you are to promote Pretas to Captain commander of the Fraiser, I believe he is ready now."

Hieden simply nodded, he could not compose his words for the moment. Then he looked up at his one time love. "Ni-Fang, you told her didn't you?"

"I did, and now she has just heard it from Johen. He will not see the next sunrise Star, so I must stay with him until then. She has not fully accepted it yet, give her time...give her time." Xue turned and left, she did not even look back as she faded out of his sight.

It had been a year since she was told, a full year. And all the while Ni-Fang told herself, it was just a cruel joke her mother was playing on her. Even her daemon she controlled believed it, but she had none of it. None of it until that night, the last ngiht her father had to live. he was living good and was healthy. But it was not anything that either Ni-fang, nor Xue Shen were expecting!

A servant arrived at the landing pads,. a good three km from the MerTelCom complex itself, a long run no doubt. After giving the Lokikaen salute to Xue he said in Lokiaen. "Master Johen wishes to see you, and lady Ni-Fang, he wishes for you to come to his offices at once and lady Ni-fang to meet him in her chambers."

Xue nodded, "Wait here but a moment" she said to the servant, who nodded and stood at attention. Xue turned and went up the ramp to the Fraiser, finding Hieden where she left him. She chattered towards Ni-Fang, since she was also there, telling her that her father wanted to see her in her chambers. She spioek to Hieden. "Johen wants to see Ni-Fang, I do not know why, but it might have something to do with how things have been going for them both."

"Are you sure?" Hieden asked, he was worried for Linelle being missing for two days.

A solid smack brought him back to reality, "Do not question my motives Hieldenhammer" she said as Hieronyma arrived at the bridge. "Ni-Fang will meet up with you at Hiedenvale come dawn. You are to command things until she arrives, understood?"

Hieden nodded, giving Xue a hug. "Good luck" he said quetly into her ear, they broke contact and Xue left, following after Ni-fang, who was already in the distance.

Johen sat in his office. At the desk, he was writing something, a letter to his daughter. The time it took for the servant to fetch his wife, gave him the chance to write to his daughter, his only child. _"Ni-Fang, if you have found this in your room at day break, it means I am no longer with you. MerTelCom is yours to command under your mother. Run it well, and in time, though I wont be here to see it happen, find one that loves you and remain with him. You have family Ni-Fang, family that loves you. Even though you do not want to believe the truth, it is true. I love you. And always will love you as my daughter. Love, your father._" Johen signed the letter withhis useal flare and put it in an envelope, signing it ot his daughter he placed it in a folder. Also with his daughters name on it, within the folder was the will, and all shares to MerTelCom under his name transffered to her own name.

he called to a servant, a young girl entered, he handed her the folder. "Take this to Ni-Fangs room, Place this letter on her table where she will see it." The servant nodded and left doing as told. He watched the servant leave, turning away as his brother in law entered.

After the servant had left the office room Qiu stepped in. It was as if Johen knew that he'd show up. "Surprised to see me brother in law?" Qiu said in a jovial tone.

"Not really" Johen replied, looking away. Qiu stopped his smile, sneering then.

"So it is expected. You are alone, none left to help you. And you know it!" Qiu withdrew a blade from under his cloak. Johen removed one from the nearby table. "Time to say good bye Johen Xiau!" Qiu hissed attacking Johen in a flurry of strikes. The two men went all over the room, destorying all sorts of items as they did so. Johen found himself backed against a wall, and his own blade broken in his hands, Qius sword through his heart as he slid to the floor. the evil man's voice ringing in his ears. "Good bye Johen, you will be missed." he hid the sword then, knowing he had to play it fake, having one of the servants act as a runner he sent for his sister.

When Xue arrived and saw her brother she asked him "Qiu, what is it?" she ewas not expecting her brother ot be there. only expecting to see her husband at his desk.

Faking a pained face he repleid slowly. "Xue Shen, Johen... he...," he looked away, but Xue knew what he meant, turning aside from her brother she dashed into her husbands office, finding him on the floor, almost dead.

"Johen!" Xue cried. shaking him, "Johen!"

Johen's eyes open slowly, through the fog he saw his wife. Holding out a hand he brushed her face. "I know you." he said slowly, "Xue Shen." he coughed.

"I'll get the healers!" Xue started to say, standing up, but johens sudden strength on her arm made her stop.

"No" he gasped slowly, breathing hard. "No, there is something you should know." he said his voice and breath starting to go shallow. "It's Linelle, we spoke two mornings ago, She was worried about Jinjin, wanted to go hunt him down, I said no, Jinjin, he, he has her!" He said, slowly breathing his last then. Xue Shen cried, Holding Johen's lkimp bloody form close where he laid ion the floor, Qiu watched from the door, two guards came. He stopped them, from entering with a shake of his head, his sister needed to be alone.

The good thing about dreams was that nothing was what they seemed. Ni-Fang had a fitful sleep, it had been one hard year. She had heeded her fathers request and went to her chambers ot wait for him. She ended up falling asleep, and once more she found herself inside a diner, again, the same diner as before, only instead of Morgan, she saw. _"Who are you?" She asked somewhat harshly seeing Oma sitting across from her in the booth. "Why am I here?"_

_"The truth. There are some things you need to know." Oma replied_

_"I know the truth, Hieden is not my Diae, if he was then who do I call father truly? Uncle Hammer died to me that day, he works for me now, he is not my Diae and you know it!" She was closeto swearing at this woman and Oma must have known it._

_"Shoot the mesaanger why don;t you." she said in reply._

_"What?" That threw the warp born off guard, shoot the messanger? Giving the woman before her a hard look she said somewhat angered. "What the frek is going on, and you better be truthful to me. otherise..."_

_"Hieden is my son, and your father, even if you choose to accept it or not, it is the truth." Oma said._

_That angered Ni-fang, she stood up, her chair flying. thankfulyl the diner was empty save the two of them. She stared hard at the woman. "You dare to play the horrid joke on me as well?" She snapped her hands in a odd form and threw herself at Oma, Oma stared for but ah eartbeat as blue fire seemed to make Ni-fangs bones of her hands glow bright blue, trails of the bluerw energy followed her movements as she slashed te table in two, Oma dove out of the way. Ni-Fang followed._

_Within minutes it was over. Ni-Fang had Oma in a death grip, both of them not moving, Oma spoke. "It is your choice to accept the truth for what it is, or to deny it. None else can make that choice for you. and you know it." Ni-Fang held Oma so tightly nither woman could move without trippin the other._

_When Ni-fang finally let Oma go she hissed. "Hieden is not my Diae, and you know it, get that through your mind!" She turned and stalked out of the diner._

Her eyes snapped open, she was in her room at MerTelCom complex in the Imperial city, her mind hurt as she sat up. She heard screaming, thinking it her mother ranting about Linelle's disappearance Ni-Fang thought it normal, Hiden had left for Hidenvale that morning, and she said she'd arrive there after the funeral of her father.

She got out of bed slowly, going ot the table at the center of the room she noticed the folder, and trhe letter ontop of it, opening the letter she read it, her eyes filling with tears. Dropping the letter to the floor she screamed one word. "DIAE!" She tore from her bedchambers and dow nthe hall to her fathers office, where her mother still cradled Johens limp form.

Ni-Fang dropped to her knees in Johens blood, her head now buried in her fathers shirt. "Diae!" she cried. She saw the blood everywhere, and her fathers sword broken. "Who did this?" she cried, looking to her uncle who stood in the door way, he didn;t answer, he merely hung his head in sadness.

Johen was gone. but there was worse news to be had.

At Hiedenvale the Fraiser had landed in one of the seven newly constructed landing pads for the fleet ships to land on. The Spirit required three of these giant pads at least to land successfully and not damage any outbuildings beyond her giant hull.

"What the hell keeping her?" Hieden wondered. Ni-Fang told him she'd be along as soon as her fathers funeral was over, she seemed to know he'd be going, or so she hinted, the news from the servant the day before made Hieden worried that something else might be happening.

"She will be here soon Diae, stop worrying, you are making me worried as well" Fan said from behind him where he near the main control console of the Fraiser's bridge. Pretas had gone to his quarters to begin working on something very important he claimed. Though he'd been promoted, Ni-Fang had yet to make that official and was still unsure of Hieden's confidence in him.

"I can't help it, Linelle has been missing for tree days now, and Ni-Fang is running late." Hieden replied. As he spoke, a silver spec appeared in the distance, Ni-Fang was coming just at turn of the noon hour. "About damn time." He thumped the coming of the panel hard. Fan put her arms around him and held him tightly, she could feel him quivering, with both rage and sadness.

The shuttle landed close by the larger ship's starboard hanger and several people disembarked, most of them workers for the village. They all began unloading cargo, mainly food and such supplies, boxes of weapons for the newly recruited soldiers. When Ni-Fang finally emerged from the shuttle, Hieden noticed her hair had a black ribbon in it. He knew it meant bad news. Something very bad.

Hieden ran from the bridge to meet Ni-Fang and was only exiting the elevator and saw her there right in front of him. He'd forgotten how quick she could be.

"Hieden, you, me, and Fan, on the Spirit, now." Hieden knew that by the tone of her voice she had something only the two of them could hear. One of things she was not going to tell him was her weird dreams of the diner. Once they were all inside and the door to her cabin sealed she spoke.

"Jinjin has Linelle." The news hit both Hieden and Fan like a locomotive. "Mother is at the Imperial City right now, Diae was killed by someone, Uncle Qiu and mother are running the investigation." When she had explained what happened to her father Hieden seemed to calm down a bit.

Yet only slightly he rage still consumed him like a furnace. "Jinjin has my wife?" he growled angrily. Ni-Fang just could barely keep her own Daemon from appearing and knock Hieden to the ground, or at least some sense into his skull. "I'll kill the frekking swine!"

Ni-Fang grabbed Hieden by the shirtfront. "You will, but not now, Xi Lan is moving you know this. Jinjin can wait until we deal with the threat at present, before we go haring off without reason!." She hissed. "Until the time we go after him, we cannot change our course!"

"And if he alters it?" Jinjin already had Linelle, and he wanted not just her, but Ni-Fang and Fan as well. Hieden had a point. Ni-Fang let go of him, looking thoughtful, she had no way to answer.

Fan mentally spoke up. Her mind-voice heard clearly by the pair before her. "Niang is taken by the enemy, and the Desecrator of Sacred Places moves against us, leaving us to internal strife! Before you know it Xi Lan would be breathing down our necks! Think before you act please, Diae!' She did not want to loose both her parents to something reckless.

Hieden nodded, Fan was right, he needed to calm down, at least a little. "You're right." He said at last. "Jinjin has Linelle that we know, and Xi Lan is moving, the galaxy is huge where would Jinjin take her?" He wanted to at least start to work on where Linelle could be.

"You work on that leg of the journey Hieden, I need to take a walk." Being in almost total command of MerTelCom, with her mother grieving, had made her mind reel in do many directions. Hieden she left to his own devices then to see where his wife was taken. Hieden went down to the little cabin he shared with his wife in Hiedenvale, to try and make sense of all this. He was worried also for the twins, 'Would they be a target as well'. Dark thoughts filled his mind as he walked.

Ni-Fang wandered Fan by her side holding her hand. The path she trod was aimless through the New city of Hiedenvale. Fan stayed stayed close, lost in thought, her mother was taken prisoner by one of those who had guarded her! As they walked they came into a market place of sorts near a few eating spaces. A crash was heard nearby in an alley. Catching Ni-Fangs attention.

With an impish look to Fan the two girls ducked into another alley and backtracked behind a few buildings to where the crash had originated. Peeking around the corner the two spotted something with a dirty blueish sheet to his hair, a Skaven, a human-rodent mutant, was rooting through a trashcan. Ni-Fang stared open-mouthed at the poor hungry soul. Fan just wondered what the creature looking for. Without thinking Ni-Fang stepped into view, the Skaven stopped what he was doing and watched her hungrily as she approached him. "Are you in need of help?" she asked him softly, pity on her face.

It was unknown until then as far as she knew if Skaven even understood basic Terran. But the Skaven seemed to have surprises for everything, as was their way. Once she remembered her father mentioning a competitor having multiracial people working for him before he put the group out of business with MerTelCom's holding consuming almost two thirds of Terra's businesses.

"Merci madame, I did not mean to intrude!" the Skaven had a strong accent to his voice, that sounded much like the ancient Terra language she had heard on old vox recordings. He stumbled and fell off the can he had perched upon to get at whatever food was within.

"Intrude?" he had her confused about something, "What do you mean." She smiled and shook her head. "Come with me, if you are in need of food, I think I can get you something to eat from the Spirit's Galley." She held out a hand to help the Skaven to his feet. "After all, I own the ship. You are welcome to come aboard"

Now she was truly taking on a interracial crew no doubt, a half Eldar, five mutants, a clone, a Skaven, and many humans, what else could happen?

Xi-Lan ordered Linelle to be held in the darkest pit of her fortress. Naked, filthy and staving, Hieden's wife held her resolve. She wasn't yet desperate, but close. She prayed to her goddess Sehanine Moonbow for deliverance, but so far no answer had come. She was in pain, and the control collar about her neck rubbed welts on her soft skin.

The Twice Cursed Empress fumed, she got nothing from the half-eldar after three days of constant torture, she was losing her grip. The woman would surely die before giving up anything, and she spat JinJin's name because he said Linelle would easy in Xi-Lan's hands. She was about to go back to the dungeons when she felt a stirring of the air nearby, it made her shiver.

"You're going to lose you know." A woman's voice told her.

Xi-Lan spun around to the direction of the voice, and saw a shimmering figure standing defiantly before her. Raising a hand, already a fireball ready she demanded. "You again, why do you plague me so." She launched the flame at the apparition, which of course went straight through. Elizabeth Weir giggled.

"Ooh that tickles." She smiled brightly and became solid.

Xi-Lan almost felt fear, but she knew who and what this woman meant. "A messenger from the cowardly Ancients that hide always in the shadows? Tell me messenger, why am I to lose?"

"He's coming for you Xi-Lan, he may lose his wife, but you will surely die by his hand."

"Who, of whom do you speak that could defeat a God?" Xi-Lan said haughtily.

"Search the memories of your ancestors the Ori, then you will know." Elizabeth faded then from view in a pale white mist.

"Agathon, the doom-bringer" Those memories spoke to her in a hateful voice and she now truly felt fear.

Those words running through her mind Xi Lan wandered the halls fuming. she was getting nowhere from the eldar halfbreed. She called for a servant. "Send word to Jinjin, he can take the captive he brought me. Anything he gets out of her he is to send word to me. he is not to kill her, I need for as bait!" She was not going to lose. Not this time.

She went to her main throne room on the fortress world of False Hope, a dead world. Unable to find suitble terraforming to the planet itself. Xi Lan had taken the world as her main fortress world. False Hope was near to Port Wander, but considered a dead world because of its lack of proper climate and terraforming never worked there.

She had begun building up her armada. Dozens of ships were being built. all of them Ha'taks with Ori weapons she had designed and had built. Now all she had ot do was continue to make more ships and recurit more soldiers on other worlds. She had sent crews out to planets informing them of a greater galaxy without having ot focus or wait on the emperor or his Inquition groups to come to their aid.

The numbers of the LFC had swollen then nearly doubling their previous numbers. Now all she had to do was continue to focus. How dare they try to interfere with her plan! She smiled as she paced before her throne. The Ancients could do nothing whatsoever, Once she had Ni-Fang in her grasp, she would have a clear path to the center of the galaxy, Holy Terra. Soon, she mused. Soon I'll be in charge, and that downtrodden God-Emporer will be nothing but a memory! her gales of dark laughter were heard through out the fortress palace.

Ni-Fang found herself cornered by Pretas over Remy, the poor rat fellow was surely in need of a job and a very humble creature at that, very easliy scared as well. It was al lshe could do to keep PRetas from melting the poor Skaven where he stood. Had Ni-Fang not been there Remy would have surely died by Pretas' hand.

"You truly do not plan on having him as part of the crew do you?" He asked her, giving Remy a hard look, the Skaven stood as tall as he could, though not as tall as Pretas or Ni-Fang, maybe a half head shorter. his fur was of bluesh color and it looked supple and string for his tail also. his eyes were brightest green and rather childlike, as if he were still a young Skaven.

"I do plan on it TechPriest, know this, if we are to survive against the Darkness of the Tomb Robber, we will need every avalible person, man and beast alike, to do it." Ni-Fang explained what had been told to her by her mother and the death of her father Johen and that she now ruled the company itself on her own.

Pretas took a half step back, almost falling on his tail had he had one. He hadn't been informed that Ni-Fang was now in charge of the company he had been hired through when she took him on as techpriest! "I am sorry, I did... I did not know of your loss. Your father was a kind man I am sure. It is a shame for his loss to us." he said now starting ot understand the pair of creatures before him, he could mentally feel Ni-Fangs power due to her inner daemon, and just barely feel Remy as well, only all he could feel from the ratman was the unrelenting need to cook something.

The childlike Skaven looked first from Ni-Fang to Pretas then back to the former. Pretas finally nodded, "If he is to be our cook, I do not see why not, you're in charge. I'll follow." Two weeks had passed and reports came in from Lokika, apparently reports concerning the firing and rehiring of Remy from Footfall, a fortress world of sort, now laden, or so it was said, with treasures beyond any means of imagination.

Remy had once been the chief cook of a revival trader company, MerTelCom had run the company to the ground and bought them out. Before the buyout Remy had been fired while on Holy Terra. And it was only a full week to the point of time when Ni-Fang and Fan had come upon him, Remy had taken a instant liking to Fan, and even a faster liking to the twins, letting both play with his tail. Hieden he seemed to know, or at least have seen before. Remy it was saidacoording ot the report, was a top cook, and could cook anything given only the ingredients alone!

Ni-Fang put Remy inchjarge of the massive galley onboard the Spirit, he was also put in charge of all food supplies as well, including enough ale for the soliders, and food enough to feed a skaven army seven times over seventy wasn't until late in the evening of the fourteenth day after his meeting with Ni-Fang and Fan did he get to offically meet Hieden.

Hieden had gone to the galley expecting to meet Xue Shen there, indstead he saw the Skaven festering about, cleaning tables, setting up chairs. Apparently he did thingsa to keep as busy as possible, no doubt to stay out of trouble Hieden found himself thinking as he watched the Skaven clean the mess hall, a room three storys tall, and seven times that in length, and only half that length in width, easliy holding five hundred to a thousand men at one sitting.

Remy felt the eyes on him after ten minutes of beginnig to set up the evening meal, He looked about, slightly startled seeing Hieden, fully expecting Gera or Pretas there wanting ot speak to him, the Skaven were known for their skill and weapon creation, bug he perfered to cook, (or kok as he said it) when he saw Hieden he nearly dropped the mop he was using to clean under the dining tables near the higher up area where Ni-Fang normally would sit. After a heartbeat he said clearly in very good Reikspel, "May I help you?"

Hieden smiled, he was a good talker, his food was well made, and nodded. "Only in information, that is, if you have it." He replied. Remy went over to the table, with a soft nod he awaited the onset of questions he iknew he was sure to be asked. But instead he was surprised when Hieden mentioned his old employer, and asked who they were.

"Lakewood Merchants." Remy replied in his thick French accent. "they pay-pay in warptokens, yet sleep-spaces not good for quick-naps, even less so for skavenburrows." He said giving off mucvh information, including his old rate of pay, and rthat he was only more worried of having a place to call a bed and a place to kok near his bed and was clearly afarid he'd loose both at any time.

Hieden smiled and shook his head, resting a gentle yet firm hand on Remy's own shaking one. "You need not worry of loss of your place of rest nor your only job, you find joy in cooking for others, and Ni-Fang has given such a job to you on her ship, her personal ship, and she herself is in charge of the company," Hieden had found himself needing ot talk to Xue Shen, his first flame before Linelle. But instead he was chatting with a Skaven of all beings! For the moment, his search for Linelle was forgotton as he was focused on Remy.

Meanwhile in her cabin Ni-Fang had begun writing something. It was a journal of sorts.

'I rescently was given charge of the company from my father, may the God Emporer bless his soul. He is lost to me now, Hieden insisted I write down my thoughts of everything that happens, in case someone has need of my knowledge. I think he is right. With Father gone I know only of one to turn to, Mother. Yet she insists that Hieden is my true father, I refuse to believe it.

Not everything has sad endings, yet some happy endings instead as well, a Skaven, of all creatures I should meet on my travels, has been hired by myself, and made chief cook onboard my ship, the Spirit of Silence. He is a well to do cook, and he does it very well, I have never seen the galleyway so clean before. Remy, as he is called, knows his job well. And thus I hjave choisen that he should remain as chief cook to the end of his days, or mine, whichever is first. He is a gentle soul and I for one, and glad to have him aboard my craft.

Hieden and I have yet to make a plan to find where Linell kis kept, personally I don't want to think about it. Father is gone to me, dead from a sword to his heart. Uncle leads the investigation, and Linelle hazs been taken by Jinjin, one in league with Xi Lan, the tomb robber of my homeworld Lokika so long ago.'

(From the travels of the Spirit of Silence, vol I  
Altdorf Press, 43,004)


End file.
